Three men caught smuggling hundreds of iPhones into China by hiding them in buckets of fish [Photo]

Police successfully caught fishermen who were attempting to smuggle 370 iPhone 6S phones, estimated to cost worth around two million yuan (£228,000), hidden in buckets with fish placed on top, into China.

According to reports, this is the first time that smugglers have used this method.

The police had decided stop the boat in waters close to the city of Shenzhen after they noticed that it was travelling suspiciously fast and noticed that there were a number of dead fish onboard.

Officials could tell that the men were particularly nervous and took a more detailed look at the boat once it was stopped. When they checked the buckets of fish, they found 370 iPhones hidden among some fish carcasses.

Smuggling electrical goods from Hong Kong into mainland China is a recurring problem. Electronic goods from Hong Kong are cheaper than they are across the border, and many people are found trying to sneak a few items in.

The three smugglers confessed to the crime, saying that they had just finished a fishing trip when they were approached by some smugglers who offered them 1,000 yuan (£114) each to deliver the phones. The case is now under investigation.