China Brings The Book Down On iPhone-Smuggling … Housewives?

While there are plenty of reasons as to why people want iPhones, one thing is universal: we all want one. (Except for the Android folk, of course.) Naturally, given the incredible demand, supply can be an issue.

According to the Verge, suppliers from Lanyou Shuma.com were allegedly tried in a Shenzhen court as part of the five rings that smuggled over 162,000 mobile phones over the last two years. In case it wasn’t obvious enough, that’s a lot of money — about $80 million in electronics, to be precise.

Interestingly, the people responsible for this supposed felony are not who you would expect them to be. Reuters reported that half of the suspects have been described as “housewives who frequently travel to Hong Kong.” Mind-blowing, isn’t it? Can you picture soccer moms in criminal rings? I can’t either.

Nonetheless, it hasn’t been made clear as to whether or not all 26 defendant have served as suppliers for Lanyou Shuma.com. The company in question, in turn, has offered no comment on the subject.

Cassandra Khaw is an entry-level audiophile, a street dancer, a bibliophilic wanderer who makes her living with words and awkward biographies.