Society

Gold smugglers' ship met another from China

Jun 03 (NHK) - Investigative sources say a group arrested on suspicion of smuggling apparent gold into Japan on a small boat had met another ship from China on open waters.

Five Japanese and 3 Chinese men were sent to prosecutors on Friday. They had been arrested on the previous day for allegedly smuggling over 200 kilograms of gold bullions at a port in Saga Prefecture.

The sources told NHK that investigators found that the 2 boats met on the East China Sea before entering the port. The sources believe the suspects received the gold from conspirators.

The investigators are trying to determine how the suspects got the gold and found prospective buyers.

If all of what the suspects were caught with is gold, it is worth about 9 million dollars. Customs officials have confirmed that some of it is genuine.

The investigators also found that some of the Japanese suspects visited the port several days before they unloaded the gold, apparently to inspect the location.

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