Kathmandu, November 25:

Acting on a tip of locals and complain of increasing imports duty evasion, the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) has seized 12 trucks caring contrabands — headed towards Kathmandu from Tatopani-Kodari customs.

The revenue investigating team at DRI in cooperation with Armed Police Force (APF) and revenue patrolling team confiscated the trucks at different parts of Kavreplanchowk district and at Dhulikhel in particular, said a senior official at the DRI. The trucks have now been brought to DRI premises at Pulchwok, Lalitpur for further investigation.

One truck of goods each of Dileswari and Sons Pvt Ltd, Saugat Impex, Alamdevi Impex, Isha Business Pvt Ltd, Krishna Exim Pvt Ltd, Deep and Sons Enterprises Pvt Ltd, and two truck-loaded goods each of Sony Business Trade Link, Radhe-Radhe Trade Link and Jaya Mata Kalikadevi Trade Link Pvt Ltd are among confiscated trucks, according to the DRI.

The seized trucks contained winter garments including sweater, jacket, pullovers, baby garments and blankets as well as electronic goods and consumer durables, the official informed that those goods are worth around Rs 30 million.

The official, who requested not to be named, also confirmed that the seized trucks contain contrabands and have evaded import duty at Tatopani-Kodari customs. He, however, said that the detailed report and estimation of values of the contrabands could be known by Tuesday only.

The DRI has already summoned proprietors and owners of the seized contrabands and trucks to clarify their position on the confiscated goods.

Following a whopping drop of 30 per cent in revenue collection last month at the Tatopani-Kodari customs, the ministry of finance, two weeks ago, had asked the DRI officials and security agencies to be more vigilant in controlling revenue leakage, particularly along the Tatopani-Kathmandu route. The Tatopani-Kodari customs is the busiest and important trading point between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Meanwhile, the DRI officials last Thursday probed the branch office of World Link Communications Pvt Ltd, a leading private Internet service provider, at Durbarmarg following a complain of evading taxes. Although the further details were not available, the DRI sources said that the concerned authority has been summoned.