Kathmandu, July 1

Police have arrested a Chinese citizen with a huge amount of Bodhichitta seeds from a hotel in Thamel.

A special team deployed from the Metropolitan Police Circle, Lainchaur raided the hotel and caught Wei Wang in illegal possession of 48.5 kg of Bodhichitta seeds last night.

Police said it sells at over Rs 10 million in Nepali market. Police had searched the hotel rooms acting on a tip-off that some persons were trading in the prayer beads without obtaining licence from the concerned agencies.

The Bodhichitta seeds were found in a sack. The seeds harvested from Buddha Chitta, a holy tree (Ziziphus budhensis), are used to make Buddha Chitta Malas. Its rosery is used by Buddhists while praying and meditation and is worn around neck or wrist. Buddhist prayer beads are a customary tool used to count the number of times a mantra (Buddha quotes) is recited whilst meditating and remembering the life of Buddha.

According to police, Wang had collected the Bodhichitta seeds from Kavre-based farmers and other racketeers. Farmers have been attracted towards planting and rearing its trees in recent years, given its high demand and value at home and abroad.

However, they have not been unable to meet the demand due to limited cultivation and undue pressure from criminal gangs, said police.

The beads have a high cultural and religious value in Tibetan and Chinese societies. The Chinese citizen have been handed over to the District Forest Office for action under the Forest Act.