On November 18, the Okinawa District Customs Office announced that four Chinese female passengers on a cruise ship from Taiwan, which arrived the Naha Cruise Terminal in Okinawa Prefecture, attempted to smuggle approximately 13 kg of powder including gold, with a terminal value of about 200 million yen.
The Customs Department is investigating the case in detail. It is the first time in seven years that contraband gold has been found at the terminal. The Customs Service is stepping up its crackdown on gold smuggling from airports and seaports across the country, which is on the rise.
According to the Customs Office, in October, a total of about 13 kg of powder containing gold, packed in several plastic bags, was found in the trousers and underwear worn by four female passengers at the Naha Cruise Terminal during a customs inspection. They are believed to have attempted to gain up to around 20 million yen in profit margins by reselling gold.
The customs office opened up about the customs inspection at the terminal to the media on November 18. They say 213 international ships are expected to enter Naha Port this year (an increase of 140 over the previous year). Next year, about 340 vessels are expected to enter the port. Osamu Aragaki, head of the surveillance department, called for information to be provided, as it can lead to an arrest.
