KATHMANDU: Police said they arrested five persons in possession of various psychoactive drugs, worth around Rs 1.7 million, from assorted locations of Kathmandu Valley, on Sunday.

Police seized 1,060 ampoules of diazepam, buprenorphine and phenergan each from them.

Two drug smuggling suspects arrested from Bara on Thursday – Keshav Mahato (18) and Rajesh Das (17) – had tipped-off police about the latest detainees, the Narcotics Control Bureau of Nepal Police informed in a statement today.

Police identified the suspecfts as Sunita Pariyar (41), Anup Baraili (32), Adarsha Tamang (26), Bishnu Ranapaheli (35) and Bijaya Tamang (30).

Pariyar was arrested from Swayambhu while Baraili and Adarsha Tamang from Maijubahal.

Likewise, Ranapaheli was held from Balkumari, Koteshwor and Bijaya Tamang from Bouddha Stupa.

Meanwhile, preliminary police investigation suggested that Baraili was the mastermind of the gang and he would smuggle such drugs via various Nepal-India border points including Biratnagar, Birgunj and Bhairahawa.

A case has been filed against them in accordance to the Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 1976, according to police.