People attempting to smuggle CPUs into China is nothing new. In fact, earlier this year, a man dubbed the 'walking CPU' was caught with 160 CPUs strapped to his body. This time around, meet 'CPU Mommy,' at least that's what I'm calling this chip smuggler who tried to slip by customs in China by hiding a bunch of CPUs inside a prosthetic stomach to make it look like they were pregnant.
Mydrivers reports (spotted by hothardware) that a woman, who authorities only identified as 'Zhao,' was caught smuggling over 200 CPUs trying to travel back to Macao from the Gongbei Port in Zhuhai, China. Zhao, who appeared pregnant, told a customs agent that she was five months along. However, because of her belly's larger size and odd posture, she was pulled aside for further questioning.
The agents then noticed a piece of exposed tape on her stomach covering a CPU and phone. A more thorough search uncovered that Zhao was wearing a silicon prosthetic stomach around her waist. Inside were 202 loose Alder Lake CPUs and 9 iPhones stuffed inside the false tummy, not a baby.
The strangeness about this situation, aside from the obvious, is that customs would have eventually noticed the components and phones once Zhao had walked through a metal detector or full body scanners, which are safe for pregnant women to pass through these days, and which ports of entry would use instead of x-ray machines specifically for travelers who may be pregnant.
The reporting doesn't say which Alder Lake chips, so it's hard to say the total value. Our friends at Tom's Hardware did some math and estimated the cost between $37,000 and $164,000, depending on the models. The woman faces potential jail time and severe fines for the offense.
