• Drugs smuggled were hidden inside music system

Kathmandu, October 24

Smuggling of hashish to Europe, America and other countries from Nepal is not uncommon.

However, smuggling of drugs from foreign countries to Nepal  for local consumption has recently been reported.

This was revealed after Narcotics Control Bureau of Nepal Police arrested three persons with 6.4 kg cannabis and seven kilograms hashish.

Those taken into custody have been identified as Achyut Tripathi of Kavre, and Rajendra Prasad Pandey and Surendra Pandey of Kathmandu. NCB first arrested Tripathi with 1.4 kg cannabis hidden inside an audio music system sent to Kathmandu from Canada on a Flydubai flight through air cargo on Monday.

Achyut was taking the audio music system to Paknajol-based Delight Hotel when sleuths of NCB held him from Gairigaun, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-9.

Based on his statement, police arrested hotel owners Rajendra and Surendra from Paknajol and Pokhara, resepectively.

NCB also raided the hotel and found another audio music system with three kilograms of cannabis concealed inside it and seven kilograms hashish from the store room of the hotel. Similarly, NCB confiscated an audio music system with two kilograms hashish from Cargo Complex of Tribhuvan International Airport.

Officials said the audio music system was sent from the US in the name of the hotel owners.

A press release issued by the NCB said it was the first time that narcotics cops had arrested racketeers involved in smuggling drugs to Nepal from Canada and the US.

The racket was led by the hotel owners. Police investigation suggested that the hotel owners had received drugs smuggled from foreign countries several times in the past also as cargo packages.