Chinese customs official in sex and smuggling scandal
- Head of Dalian port customs accused of helping overseas personal shoppers avoid duty on luxury goods
- He denies all wrongdoing and says he will be cleared
How do China’s overseas personal shoppers manage to smuggle luxury goods into the country without being detected by customs?
A sex scandal involving a high-ranking customs official at a major port may have provided some insight into an aspect of the trade, believed to be worth as much as US$100 million per year.
Guan Zhaojin, the former head of customs at Dalian port in northeastern China, is accused of having affairs with several overseas shoppers – known as daigou in Mandarin – and of abusing his power by helping them and several customs staff to evade inspections and customs duty.
Guan was reported to the authorities for smuggling and corruption last August by his wife, who also filmed him confessing to affairs with several women in a video that was later leaked online,news site Red Star News reported on Monday.
DAIGOU DOWN UNDER: THE CHINESE SHOPPING TREND TAKING AUSTRALIA BY STORM (AND A PUBLIC LISTING TO BOOT)
The woman, who was not named in the report, confirmed that the man in the video – wearing only a pair of underpants – was her husband and Dalian’s top customs official.