Biggest ever gold seizer worth Rs 430 million in Kathmandu
KATHMANDU: Police arrested a man in possession of 88 kilograms gold from Chhetrapati in Kathmandu in the wee hours of Monday.
During a press meet organised in the Capital, police made public Manoj Adhikari who was arrested with 88 kg of undeclared precious yellow metal. It is the biggest haul of smuggled gold ever seized in Nepal, according to SSP Diwesh Lohani at the Metropolitan Crime Division of Nepal Police.
Acting on a tip off, a police team deployed from the Metropolitan Police Range arrested Adhikari. The seized gold is worth around Rs 430 million. Police also seized a car (Ba 17 Cha 6427) used in the gold smuggling.
The team opened the rear part of the vehicle and seized 88 pieces of gold bars weighing 1 kg each, wrapped in black tape, the police statement said.
According to preliminary statement given to police, Adhikari said that the gold was smuggled from Kerung-Rasuwagadhi border point in Rasuwa district. Further investigation was underway, SSP Lohani said.
Earlier on August 30, the Central Investigation Bureau had also arrested seven persons with 15 kilograms of undeclared hallmark gold smuggled into Nepal via Rasuwagadhi - Kerung route on the Nepal-China border.
The government imposes a customs duty of Rs 5,200 per 10 grams of gold while selling it to jewellers through the official channel of commercial banks.
