Recently, a case of smuggling obscene materials prosecuted by the Fourth Branch of the Beijing People's Procuratorate was adjudicated. The defendant, Ms. Wang, was found guilty of smuggling 244 obscene publications into the country with the purpose of making a profit and evading customs supervision. She was sentenced by the court to 1 year and 6 months in prison, with a 2-year probation, and fined RMB 10,000 (about 5,800 MYR).
This case occurred at Beijing Daxing International Airport. On a day in September 2024, after an international flight from Tokyo, Japan, arrived in Beijing, a female passenger in her 40s, Ms. Wang, carried two large suitcases, one small suitcase, a handbag, and two bags of duty-free goods. She chose the channel for passengers with nothing to declare, but the number and appearance of her luggage aroused the suspicions of customs officers. Upon inspection, both large suitcases were found to be filled with a large number of manga books with covers labeled "18+" and explicit content. After counting and professional evaluation, 244 of the books involved were identified as obscene materials.
Upon investigation, it was found that Ms. Wang worked for a certain company in Japan and was also active online as a "cross-border purchasing agent." She had long been advertising on the Xianyu (Idle Fish) platform, claiming to source limited-edition Japanese manga, toys, badges, etc., to earn purchasing agent fees. She conducted transactions with customers through Xianyu and WeChat, using upfront deposits and cash-on-delivery as settlement methods. After receiving an order, Ms. Wang would purchase the items and bring them back to China when she returned.
On the surface, this appeared to be a “small business,” with Ms. Wang earning only agency fees, but the manga she sourced and delivered were all obscene publications prohibited from entering China.
Article 152, Paragraph 1 of China’s Criminal Law stipulates that those who smuggle obscene materials into the country with the intent to profit or distribute them shall be guilty of the crime of smuggling obscene materials. According to relevant judicial interpretations by the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate, smuggling more than 100 obscene publications constitutes a criminal case for prosecution, and the greater the quantity, the heavier the sentence.
During the trial, Ms. Wang voluntarily pleaded guilty and showed remorse, claiming that she mistakenly believed the act would only result in a fine or confiscation of goods, and confessed her lack of awareness of the legal provisions. The court took into account the facts of her crime, her confession, and repentant attitude, and made the corresponding judgment in accordance with the law.
The prosecuting officer reminded: cross-border purchasing is by no means "outside the law"; any act of evading supervision and smuggling obscene materials will be prosecuted according to law. Customs supervision is increasingly precise, and wishful thinking is often the starting point for crime. Do not purchase or transport obscene or contraband items; do not evade supervision under the guise of "personal use"; do not let the "little calculation of earning some agency fees" result in a lifelong legal blemish.
Upon investigation, it was found that Ms. Wang worked for a certain company in Japan and was also active online as a "cross-border purchasing agent." She had long been advertising on the Xianyu (Idle Fish) platform, claiming to source limited-edition Japanese manga, toys, badges, etc., to earn purchasing agent fees. She conducted transactions with customers through Xianyu and WeChat, using upfront deposits and cash-on-delivery as settlement methods. After receiving an order, Ms. Wang would purchase the items and bring them back to China when she returned.
On the surface, this appeared to be a “small business,” with Ms. Wang earning only agency fees, but the manga she sourced and delivered were all obscene publications prohibited from entering China.
Article 152, Paragraph 1 of China’s Criminal Law stipulates that those who smuggle obscene materials into the country with the intent to profit or distribute them shall be guilty of the crime of smuggling obscene materials. According to relevant judicial interpretations by the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate, smuggling more than 100 obscene publications constitutes a criminal case for prosecution, and the greater the quantity, the heavier the sentence.
During the trial, Ms. Wang voluntarily pleaded guilty and showed remorse, claiming that she mistakenly believed the act would only result in a fine or confiscation of goods, and confessed her lack of awareness of the legal provisions. The court took into account the facts of her crime, her confession, and repentant attitude, and made the corresponding judgment in accordance with the law.
The prosecuting officer reminded: cross-border purchasing is by no means "outside the law"; any act of evading supervision and smuggling obscene materials will be prosecuted according to law. Customs supervision is increasingly precise, and wishful thinking is often the starting point for crime. Do not purchase or transport obscene or contraband items; do not evade supervision under the guise of "personal use"; do not let the "little calculation of earning some agency fees" result in a lifelong legal blemish.