Kathmandu, May 30

The government has decided to set up two more bureaus in Nepal Police to address the challenges of emerging crimes.

With the establishment of two more bureaus, Nepal Police will have four bureaus under it. Earlier, it had Central Investigation Bureau and Special Bureau. CIB deals with organised, financial and heinous crimes while Special Bureau handles anti-terrorism activities.

According to the budget speech presented by Minister for Finance Yuba Raj Khatiwada for the fiscal 2018-19, the government will set up Cyber Bureau and Human Trafficking Control Bureau, bearing in mind the changed form of cybercrimes and trafficking in persons.

Nepal Police had urged the government to establish the new high-powered bureaus after cases of cybercrime and cyber-attack, and human trafficking increased at an alarming rate. A police source said the Cyber Bureau would look into threats posed by cybercrimes. Over 70 government websites were hacked in the past one year. Responsibility for almost all cyber-attacks are claimed by foreign hackers.

Frequent cyber-attacks show how vulnerable the country’s cyberspace is. In 2016, Metropolitan Police Crime Division arrested a person on the charge of hacking over 200 official websites of government and non-governmental organisations.

Cyber Bureau will also work in close coordination with internet service providers to ensure cyber security, while enhancing awareness among users of malware infection along with measures to be adopted to secure their cyberspace.

Cybercrimes include activities like hacking, raiding bank accounts, stealing identities and violating privacy, among others.

The source said Human Trafficking Control Bureau would be part of the security body’s efforts to fight human trafficking, which had become a growing problem in the country. It is the second largest criminal industry after drug trafficking in the world. The latest US State Department 2017 Trafficking in Persons report states that Nepal is a major source, transit and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking.