Kathmandu, December 10:

Metropolitan Police Ra-nge, Kathmandu, yesterday arrested five persons, including a Chinese and three Malaysian nationals, on the charge of cheating business houses by using ‘cloned’ ATM cards.

Those arrested are Chinese national Yao Jingyang and Malaysians Mukundan Ramana, Achanan Paidiya and Benni Singh Khinga Hul besides a Nepali woman — Dhan Maya Rai of Chabahil.

The three foreigners were arrested on Saturday at Bluebird Shopping Complex at Tripureswor when they were trying to use the ‘cloned’ credit cards, whereas Singh was arrested from Gangjung Hotel, Lazimpat and Rai was arrested from Mitrapark.

Police had arrested them following a complaint lodged by the marketing officer of Alpine Card Services Bidhya Sagar Dongol. Dongol had accused that they had cheated a total sum of Rs 724,557. SP Sarbendra Khanal at the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, said the arrested foreigners admitted their involvement in buying things by using cloned ATM cards from different shopping centres.

Police seized a number of valuables and other belongings from their respective hotel rooms. Gold ornaments, digital cameras, wrist watches, pen drives, mobile phone sets, Ipods, passports, ATM cards, credit cards, shopping bills, detection glass, US dollars and Nepali currencies were seized from them.