Want to Smuggle Fake Goods? Don't Mess with the Chan.

I was just getting back in to Guangzhou in mid August. The security was crazy tight. I showed my passport to at least four guys before getting on the plane in Phnom Pen, and then another half dozen security personnel on my way through customs once in Guangzhou. Apparently there was some sort of "event" going on in Beijing, so after arriving in Guangzhou the security was even tighter, with more checks, questions and an especially long customs line.

While I waited in line at China customs, I watched a TV in the customs area broadcasting a public service announcement. It went a little like this:

A North American guy and girl in their mid 20s are walking through the airport talking about their trip, ecstatic at what an awesome time they had.

Boy: "Wow what I great trip it's been, did you have a good time?"
Girl: "Yea this place was so great. Did you check out all those monuments?"
Boy: "Yea they were really something weren't they? So neat to see, I’ll definitely have to come back. Oh and remember that market where we bought those designer sunglasses?"

Girl: "Yea I know, and they were so cheap!"

Boy: "I bought pairs for all of my friends back home, they're going to be thrilled."

Girl: "How many did you buy?"

Boy: "Oh I don't know, they're here in my bag. All I know is that my friends are going to be happy when I show up with all these sunglasses."

They continue in line at customs, but then as they look and *gasp*- there’s a big sign that says “fake goods are prohibited” and customs agents are confiscating fake goods! All of the sudden the girl and boy look really distressed. They start taking off their sunglasses and watches and putting them in their bags.

Then all of the sudden a voice off screen yells "Hey, are those fake good you're carrying?" It's a customs officer ...Jacky Chan!

The guy and girl are stopped and Jacky goes on to lecture them. “Smuggling fake goods is illegal! You need to respect international laws and regulations.” The Chan continues to go on about the reasons buying fake goods are prohibited, reasons for respecting intellectual property rights and why these laws are “strictly enforced.”

“And that is why you cannot by any fake goods in China anymore” is what I’ll tell my kids many years from now after repeating this story.