TIA gold haul: DPM concedes defeat to organised crime

POKHARA: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Krishna Bahadur Mahara on Friday conceded that the government was helpless in front of the organised crime when the smugglers ferried 33 kg gold from the Tribhuvan International Airport last week.

"Crime has taken over the state in Nepal. The recent gold smuggling scandal is the latest example," he said, "But, there should not be any attempt to spare the criminals."

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Mahara was speaking at an interaction on revenue policy and money laundering investigation in Pokhara today.

Meanwhile, the DPM urged all to work for strengthening the state mechanisms to defy such organised criminal activities in the future.

"Criminal activities decrease when the government and police are strong," he said, "It is also a duty of the public to strengthen the state."

Minister Mahara further said the nation's economic development and prosperity relied on the cooperation among private, public and cooperative sectors.

He also urged all the citizens to pay taxes so as to increase the revenue of the nation.