Weijie Ru

Weijie Ru is an Auckland businessman who was sentenced for his involvement in a sophisticated cigarette smuggling operation. He and his brother, Jiehong Ru, were found guilty of importing large quantities of cigarettes into New Zealand while evading over $4 million in Customs taxes. Ru's defense claimed he was unaware of the illicit nature of the shipments, but the court determined that he was a leading participant in the operation, ultimately sentencing him to two years and nine months in prison.