Diamond Smuggling Ring Busted in China

A diamond smuggling ring was broken up Friday by Customs authorities in Shenzhen, according to local paper Shenzhen Daily. 50 suspects, including 33 non-Chinese individuals, have been detained.

The smuggling ring allegedly sourced their diamonds from Hong Kong, then hired Indians to smuggle them into Shenzhen before distributing them to factories, which then sold them as legal goods.

Custom officials in Shenzhen were alerted to the ring in October, launching a two-month long investigation. The smugglers supposedly hid the diamonds in paper packages or even in their pockets as they traveled across borders.

Once custom authorities alerted the police, 150 police officers were deployed Friday to break up the ring. A Hong Kong resident with three bags of diamonds was arrested with an Indian national who was allegedly planning to meet him at a nearby hotel. Several individuals linked to the Hong Kong man were subsequently arrested as well.

The total value of the seized diamonds has still not been determined.