KATHMANDU: While Tihar, the festival of colours and lights, is just around the corner, police have intensified a crackdown on illegal trade of firecrackers in Kathmandu Valley of late.

Two persons were arrested from Kharibot, KMC-34 of Kathmandu in possession of a huge cache of the firecrackers of various brands on Friday, police said.

The arrestees are both Indian nationals Sunil Sah (27) and Satrughna Kumar Sah (18), currently residing in different locations of Kathmandu Valley.

Meanwhile, another huge cache was seized from a house in Gurusingal, Sanep of Lalitpur on Friday.

Police also arrested three persons - Umesh Jaiswal (24), Ganesh Prasad Jaiswal (30) and Ramesh Sah (35) - from the room.

They were permanent residents of Bara district.

Police said they are looking into both cases.