Woman Caught Trying To Smuggle 1,000 Cacti And Succulents Strapped To Her Body. Who Thinks Of These Ideas?

Woman Caught Trying To Smuggle 1,000 Cacti And Succulents Strapped To Her Body. Who Thinks Of These Ideas?

Smuggling is a big business. Mind you, I say this not out of experience in smuggling, but in writing about it. For there have been far too many cases reported recently, most of which involve women getting extra creative in getting their goods across customs. From faking a pregnancy bump with a hollowed out watermelon, or converting gold to foil as used in chocolates to make it past security, the level of innovation and commitment into pulling something like this off if not anything else, has us amazed. Just like in the case of this woman in New Zealand, who has been sentenced after she was caught trying to smuggle almost 1,000 cacti and succulents from China in the most unimaginable way possible—by taping them to her body! Ouch!

Reports share that in March 2019, the 38-year-old woman, who has been identified as Wenqing Li, known as Wendy, tried to smuggle 947 cacti and succulent into New Zealand from China by strapping them all to her body and shoving them inside her stockings. Apparently, the accumulated cost of these items would come to be close to $10,000, including eight endangered and threatened species.

Also Read : Woman Faked Pregnancy Bump With Hollowed Out Watermelon To Smuggle Drugs. This Was Way Too Creative!

After she was detected by a police dog on arrival at the Auckland international Airport, she tried to escape the situation by disposing off the haul in the toilets. However, when the toilets were checked, apparently “a large amount of plant material was found,” as shared by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Li, who had previously been found to have 142 unauthorized seeds hidden inside commercially packaged iPad covers in her luggage, pleaded guilty at the Manukau district court on these two charges under two separate violations of biosecurity laws, attempting to bring in plants from China.

She has been sentenced to 12 months of intensive supervision and 100 hours of community work.

Also Read : Woman Caught Smuggling Gold On Airport Hidden Inside A Chocolate Box

Sadhika Sehgal

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