Typically, when we hear about the history of computer hardware smuggling, it’s a bunch of former cryptocurrency mining GPUs making their way illegally across the border, or a collection of CPUs badly taped to a man trying to get through customs. Here, however, the roles were reversed—because this time the equipment itself was used to smuggle something much more valuable.
Australian authorities discovered a Malaysian tried to import 100 kg (200 pounds) of methamphetamine into the country hidden in a collection of personal computer cases (via Techspot). The offending items arrived by airmail and upon inspection, it was revealed that they contained multiple enormous packages of suspicious white powder.
Laboratory testing confirmed that the substance was methamphetamine, authorities said which would equate to the value of “millions of street level transactions” if the substance reached the good people of Australia.
A 45-year-old man was arrested by AFP officers as he tried to collect the package and was charged with one count of drug possession. As for the crates themselves, once the illegal cargo had been cleared, they were successfully delivered to a warehouse in Kingsgrove, New South Wales.
The cases appear to be Dell Optiplex models, each of which should weigh just a few pounds. Adding 100kg of extra, err, cargo to the shipment was probably a clue here, although Australia has been known to particularly stringent border processing controls for many items coming into the country, so there are many ways to detect drugs.
“ABF officers are closely monitoring shipments for any irregularities that may disrupt the supply chains of these criminal syndicates,” said Acting ABF Commander Matthew O’Conner.
“They will try to hide illegal substances in creative cavities to avoid our detection.
“Our officers’ abilities to detect and disrupt this criminal behavior will continue to advance through our cooperation and information sharing among our federal and state counterparts.”
Creative cavities indeed. Although a significant amount of the hazardous substances have now been withdrawn from Australian streets, it is possible that these Dell Optiplex cases are now available for sale again, with their potential novel owners unaware that their novel, low-cost purchase has been the subject of a solemn criminal investigation.
Kind of gives novel meaning to the whole “rock in the box” debate surrounding low-cost GPU purchases, doesn’t it? We regularly ship PC cases for testing at PC Gamer, so we hope we don’t receive extra freight that we’d rather not hide in our next shipment.
