$1B in banned Nvidia chips just slipped into China — via the AI black market

Despite U.S. export bans, China is getting its hands on America’s most advanced AI weapons.

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- Over $1B worth of Nvidia chips (B200, H100, H200) entered China via unofficial channels

- Smuggled through Southeast Asia and sold by shadow firms like “Gate of the Era”

- Some rack systems sold for nearly $500k each — no support, no warranty, just raw power

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The chips were meant to stay out — but Chinese AI labs are training on them anyway.

Export controls are turning into a high-stakes tech smuggling war.