New-Round Auction on Smuggled Aircraft in Sichuan

Two smuggled passenger airplanes, which were seized by customs and failed to find a new owner at an auction last month, will be on the list of a new-round auction on December 26 in this capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The aircraft, two Russian-made Tu-154M, attracted no bidders for their comparatively expensive prices, sources with a local auction house said here Tuesday.

According to Li Chungui, president of the Sichuan Provincial Commodities Auction Center, only three enterprises attended the first auction, in which the two airplanes had an opening price of 1.2 million yuan and 400,000 yuan respectively.

The planes were smuggled in by Du Dinghuan, former general manager of Sichuan Airlines.

The new auction will reduce the opening price of the aircraft to 900,000 yuan and 400,000 receptively, Li said, adding that more than 30 enterprises including 20 local companies have so far showed interest in the coming auction.






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