Kathmandu, December 31

Security personnel at Tribhuvan International Airport arrested an Indian national with 500 gram gold concealed in his rectum today.

Hariram Sunil of Maharastra was taken into custody by a joint team of customs officials and security personnel after an X-ray machine detected metal in his body during security screening at TIA. He had arrived here on Flydubai flight from Dubai.

Police suspected that something was wrong with Sunil after they spotted him behaving suspiciously and walking in a peculiar way. When interrogated he admitted to concealing gold in his rectum. Police in association with doctors at Sinamangal-based KMC Hospital removed the contraband from his rectal cavity. He had concealed five pieces of gold in the rectum. TIA has reported four such cases of modus operandi for smuggling gold earlier.

On November 29, Sa Luitui, 22, a Chinese national was held with one kilogram gold concealed in his rectum at TIA. Despite police action, racketeers continue attempts to pass gold through the only international airport of the country. Police said racketeers were changing their modus operandi of gold smuggling through TIA. Concealing gold in the rectum, battery box, laptop, baggage, air-filter of vehicle, cargo trucks and inner sole of shoes are some of the ways adopted by smugglers. Smugglers also mould gold into jewellery and wear them to outsmart security officials.

Racketeers have been using returnee Nepali migrant workers to smuggle gold. Migrant workers are paid by the racketeers from the Gulf via wire after the consignment of gold is received by the concerned person in Nepal.

According to statistics released by Nepal Police, it seized 108 kilogram gold in 2018-19 compared to 72 kilograms in previous fiscal. Officials said they had not been able to completely control gold smuggling for want of hi-tech screening devices and detectors along the borders and TIA. Most of the smuggled gold enters Nepal through TIA and Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi-Kerung points via Tibet of China.