May 28, 2026 12:16:00

Three people attempting to smuggle NVIDIA GPUs into China via Japan have been arrested by Taiwanese authorities.

China has banned the import of high-performance NVIDIA GPUs, but these prohibited GPUs are being smuggled into the country through various routes. On May 21, 2026, the Keelung District Prosecutor's Office in Taiwan announced the arrest of three people on suspicion of attempting to smuggle Supermicro AI servers equipped with NVIDIA GPUs into China. These three were reportedly planning a smuggling route that would pass through Japan.

Illegal exit from Keelung land investigation for foreign nationals at high level AI A proposal for interrogation equipment, consideration for the protection of public interest, approval and reasonable public disclosure is necessary, and the paper requires a written explanation.
(PDF file)

https://www.klc.moj.gov.tw/media/439258/1150521%E5%9F%BA%E6%AA%A2%E5%81%B5%E8%BE%A6%E4%B8%8D%E6%B3%95%E5%87%BA%E5%8F%A3%E9%AB%98%E9%9A%8E%E4%BC%BA%E6%9C%8D%E5%99%A8%E6%A1%88%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E7%A8%BF.pdf

Taiwan Said to Suspect Nvidia Chips Smuggled to China Via Japan - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-27/taiwan-said-to-suspect-nvidia-chips-smuggled-to-china-via-japan

The following is a document released by the prosecution. It states that three people, identified as 'You XX,' 'Wang XX,' and 'Chen XX,' were arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle Supermicro AI servers equipped with NVIDIA GPUs. The three allegedly purchased the AI servers in Taiwan and were attempting to smuggle them into China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Bloomberg, an overseas media outlet, reported, citing sources, that 'the three were smuggling AI servers via Japan' and 'they are suspected of having had at least one successful operation.' While it has long been known that high-performance NVIDIA GPUs are being smuggled into China, most smuggling routes go through Southeast Asia, and this is believed to be the first time that individuals using Japan as a transit point have been arrested.

The United States had severely restricted the export of high-performance semiconductors to China, but in December 2025, the Department of Commerce announced a relaxation of these restrictions , and in May 2026, the U.S. government approved the export of 'H200' semiconductors to China. However, imports have not yet been approved in China, and the situation remains awaiting China's approval.

The US government has approved the sale of NVIDIA's AI chip 'H200' to a Chinese company, and is now awaiting approval from the Chinese government - GIGAZINE