Pakistani woman arrested in major haul of fake USD, IRs

KATHMANDU: In what appears to be the biggest haul of counterfeit US dollar in Nepal so far, Nepal Police recently arrested a Pakistani woman from Kathmandu. They seized fake currencies having the face value of USD 19,500 and IRs 36,00,000 from her possession  as soon as she touched down in the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Identified as Shama Naz, the suspect had arrived in Kathmandu from Karachi via Doha on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, police said, she was arrested from the Golden Gate of Tribhuvan International Airport, and the contraband worth millions of rupees was seized.

The Ranipokhari-based Metropolitan Police Office paraded the suspect in Kathmandu today along with seven others, who were also arrested in possession of fake Indian currencies from different places of Kathmandu.

According to police, the Pakistani national had concealed the contraband in her suitcase and in food packets to deceive the airport security system.

She is allegedly involved in fake currency smuggling to Nepal via air route, distributing the fake bills to local contacts in Kathmandu and making payments to the local contacts through hundi.