CPU smugglers resort to Wolf of Wall Street tactics, get caught
As CPU shortages continue, smugglers attempted to move hundreds of processors by strapping them to their bodies.
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What you need to know
It’s hard to get your hands on thebest CPUsthese days, but apparently, for some it isn’t difficult to get processors onto their bodies. A group of smugglers recently got caught by the Customs Department of Hong Kong with high-end CPUs strapped to their persons. Another smuggling attempt, which is believed to be connected, saw dozens of Intel processors jammed between the front seats of a vehicle.
In the first incident, two drivers got stopped by the Customs Department of Hong Kong at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on June 16, 2021.HKEPCreports that the drivers had 256 chips attached to themselves, including Intel Core i7-10700 and Core i9-10900K processors (viaPC Gamer).
The second smuggling attempt occurred ten days later at the same bridge, though it involved fewer processors. Fifty-two Intel CPUs were found between the front seats of a vehicle.
Hong Kong Customsreported another smuggling attempt recently, though it did not include strapping technology to anyone’s body. Over 2,200 CPUs, more than 1,000 RAM sticks, around 630 smartphones, and a collection of cosmetic items were seized after smugglers were stopped at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point. The total value of the parts from the incident at Lok Ma Chau is close to $4 million.
CPUs have skyrocketed in value due to global chip shortages. People have resorted to a variety of measures to get their hands on the best CPUs andbest GPUs, including paying exorbitant prices to scalpers. Some eventurned down bribes of $2,500for the right to purchase anNVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti.
The global chip shortage will continue to affect the stock of CPUs, GPUs, and other components for quite some time,according to Dell.
TheU.S. Senate passed a billthat will provide $52 billion in funding for semiconductors, but it’ll take time for the effects of that bill to kick in.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
