A worker at a Chinese factory has allegedly smuggled out a 3DS unit and has pictures to show for it...

Photos of what appears to be a 3DS unit have cropped up on the internet, allegedly from a Chinese factory worker who has smuggled one off the manufacturing line.

Despite looking pretty much fully formed on the outside, the unit is seemingly useless as it is, with not even a system menu incorporated into this build. What could be of interest is that the model code - CTR-003 - does not end in 001, a model number all Nintendo consoles tend to be suffixed with. This observation has led some to suspect this unit, if genuine, is actually a developer unit.

Check out several other shots of the machine in the gallery.

The anonymous 'smuggler' has also uploaded video of the unit. Rather oddly, the video stops right before the console would boot up the DS game inserted. Perhaps the unit is simply not even yet in a state to play DS games.

Nintendo hasn't commented on the leak.