Comment by benologist

Lying on customs forms, for profit, as a member of a smuggling organization, really is a big deal. It doesn't matter that it's not what you would consider conventional "contraband", the socks on your feet are illegal until a customs official has permitted them into their country with or without tax.

These guys used ziplines instead of mules to move untaxed iPhones and iPads into Hong Kong, till the police shut them down.

http://www.intomobile.com/2011/08/09/chinese-ninjas-use-cros...

Here's some more people specifically dodging import taxes and then being arrested:

http://www.cnet.com/news/chinese-children-used-to-smuggle-ip...!

http://www.intomobile.com/2013/08/14/man-caught-smuggling-ip...

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Bad-ideas-lady-caught-smuggli...

This stuff is really black and white illegal.