Customs seize 1.67 bln yuan of smuggled car parts

GUANGZHOU -- Chinese customs has seized smuggled luxury auto parts valued at 1.67 billion yuan ($253 million), the customs office in south China's Guangdong Province said Thursday.

In a raid Wednesday, customs staff caught nine suspects in connection with the case, said an official with the office.

The gang, led by two people surnamed Zhu and Zhang, was found to have avoided paying tariffs since 2012 on accessories for luxury car brands, including Land Rover and Volvo, by listing them as ordinary low cost goods or personal delivery parcels.

The gang set up several outlets in the provincial capital Guangzhou where accessories were sold nationwide and had planned to open an online store, the official in charge of the case said.

Further investigation is underway.