KATHMANDU, JUNE 23

The Narcotics Control Bureau has arrested as many as seven persons, including foreigners, with a huge cache of narcotic and psychoactive drugs during coordinated operations carried out across the country over a period of one week.

According to the NCB, Davide Minandeo, 24, (passport number YB1573961), an Italian national, was held with 10,098 stickers of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) from Thamel. It was the single-biggest seizure of LSD drug in Nepal. Police also seized 38 grams of methamphetamine, INR 139,000, Euro 700, Turkish lira 539 and Thai baht 50.

Similarly, the NCB has arrested two Indian nationals with 100 grams of brown sugar from Sinamangal. The arrested have been identified as Hemant Kumar Bhagat, 27, and Sanjeev Kumar, 28, of Bihar.

In a separate anti-drug operation, German national Paul Werst, 63, (passport number C9WLOKWOL) was held with 6.8 kilograms of hashish from Tribhuvan International Airport. He was trying to smuggle the drug to his home country by airway.

Likewise, the NCB arrested three persons with 26 stickers of LSD and 3.7 grams of cocaine from a hotel in Pokhara. They include Martina Serena, 32, (passport number 4657033) of Czech Republic, Rajan Gautam, 26, of Morang and Mukhiya Gurung, 42, of Kathmandu. The NCB said they were charged under the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 24, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.