A smuggler has been detained in China with 94 iPhone handsets taped to his body.

The man's unusual posture as he walked caught the attention of customs officers in the city of Shenzhen as he tried to cross into China from Hong Kong on Sunday night, China's state media reported

Reports indicate he looked as though he was weighed down with something heavy, despite only holding two plastic bags. When the airport-style metal detector sounded as he passed through he was stopped and searched.

Images released by Chinese officials revealed he had taped the unboxed phones to his body and legs. The stash contained iPhone 6, 6+ and the older iPhone 5 handsets.

iPhones are, on average, £80 cheaper in Hong Kong than they are in mainland China. High demand from Chinese consumers contributes to smuggling.

Ironically, all iPhones are made in factories on the Chinese mainland, including one plant near the port where the seizure was made.

The border between Hong Kong and mainland China is a notorious smuggling route. Electrical and luxury goods are often cheaper in Hong Kong than on the mainland.

Baby formula is also often smuggled because of ongoing fears on the mainland about the safety of Chinese-made formula.