Go to all that work and then get found out by using shitty spray paint.

  • someguy3
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    124
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    Now that’s good. I wonder how they got caught.

    …technicians removed the motor casing and found a rotor “wrapped in a cord wheel which was tied to tape.”

    “It was not similar to a normal motor,” he added.

    After examining the rotor, authorities found traces of glue at both ends of the machinery part. Using a hammer, they then tapped the part and “noticed unevenness,” indicating the metal was far more malleable than it should have been. Scraping away at an outer layer of silver paint showed flecks of gold.

    • xpinchx@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      66
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      Yeah somebody snitched. Airport security isn’t going to disassemble an air compressor and start hitting things with a hammer.

      • NOPper@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        18
        ·
        8 months ago

        You haven’t seen how they’ve inspected my guitar and a shitload of imported things over the years lol

      • someguy3
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        8 months ago

        Hong Kong, it’s outgoing cargo. I have no idea.

      • psud@aussie.zone
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        ·
        8 months ago

        It probably looked odd on the x-ray scan so they looked closer, it was probably more the tied on parts than the bad paint that drew initial attention

      • someguy3
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        25
        ·
        8 months ago

        I did the math lower down:

        Probably don’t notice when you’re using a forklift.

        My math says that’s 133 kg of gold. Not all that much. If you replaced the metal volume, the additional weight is approx 81 kg.

      • force@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        14
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        2.5x heavier by volume than steel

        reading that hurted my brain… just say denser 😣