KATHMANDU: After the arrest of a Nepali national in possession of 54 kilogram of methamphetamine in Brisbane in January, Nepal Police said its Narcotics Control Bureau recently rounded up three persons in Kathmandu in connection with the smuggling of synthetic drug to Australia from China.

One Bhupendra Tamang, who held Nepali passport, was arrested along with Australian national Raymond John Marsden from Brisbane. The Australian Federal Police had arrested them when they went to collect a consignment sent from Guangzhou of China via sea route.

Those arrested in Kathmandu have been identified as Manish Shrestha of Batase, Sindhupalchok district; Bikram Lamichhane of Tripureshwar, Dhading district and Hom Bahadur Tamang of Dansingh, Nuwakot district. They were paraded in Kathmandu today.

Following an investigation, the Australian security agency had alerted Nepal Police about the involvement of other Nepali nationals in the multi-million dollar smuggling, according to the NCB.

The trio were presented before the Kathmandu District Court and remanded in custody for further investigation, the NCB said.

According to the NCB, Tamang and Marsden had told the Australian police Manish Shrestha and Bikram Lamichhane were among others who sent the consignment concealed in materials meant for interior decoration.

Following correspondence from the Australian police, Nepal Police arrested the duo on March 20 and grilled them. Based on their statements, Hom Bahadur Tamang,  was also taken in custody.

According to the NCB, Lamichhane had provided Shrestha with Marsden's address for the delivery of consignment.

Tamang further told police he forwarded the address to Bangkok-based Dharma Pakhrin, who subsequently shared email address of a Chinese man identified as Frank with them.

Lamichhane reportedly exchanged emails with Marsden and Frank with details of the consignment.

Hom Bahadur Tamang reportedly had promised Manish Shrestha, Bikram Lamichhane and Raymond John Marsden Rs 1,50,000 each their role in the entire scheme.

With the three taken in judicial custody on March 8, police said they are looking into the case.

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