Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs seized 91 kg of silver granules concealed in a Macau-registered vehicle at the Hengqin Port (customs and immigration checkpoint) recently, the customs authority said in a statement on Saturday.
According to the statement, customs officers at Hengqin Port noticed an anomaly in the X-ray images of a single-plate vehicle from Macau while conducting on-site inspections of cross-border passenger vehicles.
Upon further inspection, officers discovered silver granules hidden in a concealed metal compartment welded beneath the vehicle’s rear-seat power battery, the statement said.
An appraisal confirmed that the seized silver granules were of fine silver purity, with a net weight of 91 kg.*
The customs anti-smuggling department formally opened a criminal case last Tuesday, according to the statement.
*Based on current raw silver spot prices (US$1,730 to US$1,755 per kg), 91 kg of pure silver (.999 fine) is worth up to 1.25 million patacas. – Gemini
This undated handout provided by Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs on Friday shows 91 kg of silver granules seized by its officers at the Hengqin Port border checkpoint.