The Great Condom Heist: 3 Arrested for 725,000 Missing Condoms

Did you know that Asia represents the center of the worldwide condom network? Legitimate and illegitimate? Insert offensive population control joke here.
For those not in the know, in countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Japan, condoms are big money. They rake in over $12 billion a year, according to Slate. Which is why it comes as no surprise that 725,000 ultra-thin condoms went missing from a boat transporting a shipment from Malaysia to Japan. Condoms, Slate adds, that are 14% thinner than your average brand.
After being loaded into a container in Malaysia, condom carriers hauled the container onto the ship, locks in place. But, according to AFP, the container was empty and the locks were changed when the ship arrived. No one knew what had happened.
Turns out the theft was an inside job. The suspects worked for the firm hauling the condoms.
Despite the promise of increased sensation, it's clear that the condom thieves had no hopes of utilizing the condoms to fully maximize their own pleasure. Even the most virile of man lacks the necessary stamina for that kind of venture. So what was the intended plan? To share the love?
Probably. Sagami Rubber Industries, the condoms' manufacturers, told AFP that the condoms are worth $1.5 million at retail prices in Japan. Condoms, however, do not garner that much on the black market, reports Slate. In places like Malaysia, condom customers are used to shelling out a lot less for their protection on the black market.
Despite the availability of cheap condoms, the Malaysian police are steadfast in their adherence to safe sex. From what a Malaysian police spokesperson told AFP, they take "condoms very seriously."
Related Resources:
- Malaysian Cops Bust Condom Theft Ring (NewsTime)
- Inside job? Malaysia police probe case of 700,000 missing condoms (MSNBC)
- Porn Condom Rule: LA to Require XXX Films to Use Condoms (FindLaw's Legally Weird)