Sharp rise seen in quantity and value of goods shipped illegally

Authorities are facing a "grim" situation with the value of smuggled goods rising annually by about 20 percent from January to September, an official said.

Customs had uncovered 1,415 cases of smuggling by the end of September, involving goods worth 22.8 billion yuan ($3.66 billion). The value marked a 20 percent annual increase, according to the General Administration of Customs.