MELAMCHI: Police have impounded 13 trucks for smuggling sand after illegally excavating it from Indrawati River in Sindhupalchok district on Monday night.

A team of Police under the command of Inspector Nabaraj Dhungana deployed from the Melamchi-based Area Police Office, impounded the trucks laden with sand being smuggled to Kathmandu last night, according to police.

The police impounded the vehicles — Ba 4 Kha 9454, Ba 4 Kha 7848, Ba 4 Kha 7526, Ba 4 Kha 5764, Ba 4 Kha 6208, Ba 4 Kha 7051, Na 3 Kha 8970, Ba 4 Kha 6902 and Ba 3 Kha 4218 among others along with documents.

The trucks have to pay fine to the District Coordination Committee, said police.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Shyam Krishna Adhikari at the District Police Office, said that 12 trucks and two excavators had faced action two days ago for their involvement in sand smuggling.