The FBI dismantled a network smuggling $160 million worth of NVIDIA GPUs to China, exposing a fierce battle surrounding advanced AI chips.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•02/01/2026
The FBI has just busted a large-scale smuggling ring that was illegally shipping high-end NVIDIA GPUs to China, sending shockwaves through the tech world. According to U.S. federal prosecutors, the network attempted to illegally export at least $160 million worth of H100 and H200 chips for the AI race.
The suspects set up shell companies, rented secret warehouses in New Jersey, and falsified export documents to deceive authorities. FBI agents infiltrated the warehouse and discovered GPUs being falsely labeled and declared as ordinary components.
Operation Gatekeeper ended dramatically when federal agents raided the location, seizing the entire shipment of chips just before they were due to be transported. Although some suspects have pleaded guilty, analysts believe that the smuggling of NVIDIA GPUs is unlikely to end. Over 60% of top AI models in China still rely on NVIDIA hardware, keeping the demand for chips consistently enormous.
The incident highlights that the US-China technology competition is hotter than ever, with AI chips becoming a key battleground. Readers are invited to watch the following video : AI-powered trash cleanup | Hanoi, 6:00 PM
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