Helicopter smuggling case exposed in Xiamen
CRI, August 6, 2013
The first helicopter smuggling case has been exposed in Xiamen city in southeast China's Fujian province. The case is now transferred to the local procuratorate, Xiamen Daily reports.
Customs officers examine smuggled helicopter parts in this undated photo. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]
The smuggling operation was discovered earlier this year after local Quanzhou Customs carried out critical inspections of a company in Xiamen importing 28 containers of goods. Customs officers found a helicopter cabin inside one of the containers. A Hong Kong resident surnamed Yao was found to be the suspected smuggler.
The two-seat, lightweight helicopter featured a 1.5-meter-wide, 2-meter-long cabin. The length of the aircraft reached 5 meters, and the propeller measured about 6 meters. Five walkie-talkie headsets and a set of supportive refueling tools were also found within the container.
The case was soon transferred to the Xiamen Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau.
During the interrogation, Yao admitted that he was entrusted by others to conceal the smuggling of the lightweight helicopter. The final recipient of the smuggled helicopter turned out to be a businessman surnamed Liu.
Liu is the general manager of a general aviation technology company in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In 2012, his company decided to launch a lightweight helicopter manufacturing project with an Italian company, ordering a second-hand helicopter worth 92,000 euros.
After signing a contract, Liu commissioned a forwarding company in Guangzhou to import the helicopters; however, the Guangzhou-based company was unable to import the goods on time due to various reasons.
After five subcontracting deals, Yao eventually accepted a contract to import helicopters hidden in plastic waste material.
