KATHMANDU: Police have nabbed seven people for their alleged involvement in smuggling a red panda hide and a bear gall bladder, from Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Police deployed from the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police arrested Phurpa Lama (24) and Pasang Lama (24) of Sindhupalchok and Shrawan Kumar Rajbanshi of Morang in possession of the panda hide from Jorpati area.

Likewise, Raj Kumar Tamang (22), Suresh Lama (21) and Jit Kumar Moktan (27) of Kathmandu and Karma Sherpa (22) of Sindhupalchok were nabbed in possession of the gall bladder from Chabahil area.

Police have sent the arrestees to the District Forest Office for further investigation.

The endangered species were enlisted in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), 1975, and the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973.

If convicted, the suspects would be handed out an one-year jail term or Rs 75,000 fine or both.