A WOMAN was intercepted and found to be carrying 20 undeclared Longines watches when crossing the border to Shenzhen at Futian Checkpoint on Sept. 12, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported yesterday.

    According to Huanggang Customs, customs officers at the arrival hall of Futian Checkpoint noticed that the woman, who was carrying only a small backpack and a plastic bag, looked nervous. She was walking quickly and stiffly with her head down to avoid possible eye contact with customs officers.

    The customs officers suspected that the woman might be carrying contraband and directed her to the metal detector. Promptly, the machine alerted the officers that the woman was carrying more than she was originally let on.

    The officers found that 16 watches were taped to the woman’s body and another four watches were found in her luggage. All of the watches were in the same style and the tags were still attached.

    An initial evaluation estimated that altogether the watches were worth over 240,000 yuan (US$35,979). The woman admitted that she was attempting to deliver the watches for someone who paid her.

    The woman was only one of an increasing number of travelers who were caught attempting to carry undeclared luxury goods and pricey health care products into Shenzhen as Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day are approaching, the Southern Metropolis Daily said.

    According to regulations, it is a punishable offense for travelers to carry excessive products without declaring them or to bring illegal items.

    Shenzhen customs has intercepted a larger number of smuggled pricey health care products such as birds’ nests, sea cucumber and fish maw.

    The Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine revealed that the number of such items had increased by 7 percent in Luohu Checkpoint alone in August compared with that of July.

    According to the rules, birds’ nests, except for in canned products, dried sea products, such as sea cucumber and fish maw, are not allowed to be carried into the mainland.

    Seafood items like lobsters and geoduck were also among the smuggled items at the checkpoints, according to Shenzhen Customs. (Zhang Qian)