Kathmandu, September 25

Police have arrested two persons with three kilograms of undeclared gold allegedly smuggled into Kathmandu from Tibet.

The gold smuggling suspects held from Tokha yesterday night are Nar Bahadur Ghale, 24, and Pemba Tamang, 20, of Rasuwa.

Acting on information, cops deployed from Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, intercepted a motorcycle they were riding and seized the gold from their possession. The gold is worth around Rs 15 million as per today’s bullion price.

Senior Superintendent of Police Basant Kumar Lama, Metropolitan Police Range in-charge, said nine gold bars weighing three kg were found to concealed in the false bottom of belts they were wearing.

According to preliminary investigation, the gold was smuggled into Kathmandu from China via Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border point by evading customs.

During interrogation, Ghale and Tamang identified themselves as gold carriers and said they were being paid a wage of Rs 50,000 for ferrying per kg gold.

The duo also conceded that they had received one kg gold from a Tibetan in Kerung  and handed it over to another Tibetan in Machhapokhari of Kathmandu last month. Despite the arrest of gold smuggling suspects, police have yet to get any clue about its owner.

Officials said they had launched further investigation to track down other persons, including the owners, involved in the gold smuggling racket.

Most of the smuggled gold enters Nepal from Gulf countries through Tribhuvan International Airport, and Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi-Kerung points via Tibet of China.