FUKUOKA (TR) – Fukuoka Prefectural Police on Wednesday announced the arrest of 12 male and female Korean nationals over the alleged smuggling of 36 kilograms of gold from Korea, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Mar. 7).
On February 1, seven of the suspects concealed 36 gold bars, each weighing 1 kilogram, inside the rear pockets of their pants upon arrival at Fukuoka Airport on a flight from Gimhae International Airport.
According to police, the suspects then sold the gold, valued at 170 million yen, at a shop in Fukuoka. In not declaring the precious metal with customs officials, the suspects avoided paying 13.7 million yen in consumption tax. They were compensated a total of 750,000 yen.
By March 3, the Fukuoka District Public Prosecutor’s Office had prosecuted eight of the suspects at the Fukuoka District Court on suspicion of violating the Customs Law.
All of the suspects admit to the allegations. “I was sweet-talked into believing that I could get pocket money while taking a trip to Japan,” one of the suspects said, according to Nippon News Network (Mar. 7).
