SARLAHI, JUNE 26
The Armed Police Force (APF) has seized 200 sacks of melon seeds allegedly being smuggled to India through the Nepal-India border in Sarlahi, along with five vehicles used in the operation.
The seizure was made at around 10 pm on Wednesday near the Hathiyoul embankment in the Mahanpur border area, which falls under Balara Municipality-2 of Sarlahi and lies across the Bagmati River from Ward Nos. 6 and 7 of Rajdevi Municipality in Rautahat.
According to the APF, the melon seeds were being loaded onto Indian vehicles for illegal export to India when a joint team launched the operation based on a tip-off.
The operation was carried out by an 80-member joint team deployed from the APF Border Security Base at Simara, the Border Security Base at Malangawa and the APF No. 10 Battalion Headquarters in Sarlahi. The team was led by Deputy Superintendents of Armed Police Bishnu Dutta Awasthi and Bishnu Adhikari, along with Armed Police Inspector Krishna Gurung.
SP Amar Bahadur Khatri of the APF No. 10 Battalion said the team recovered all 200 sacks of melon seeds before they could be transported across the border.
Four Indian-registered Bolero vehicles and one Nepali-registered mini truck used in the smuggling attempt were also impounded. The drivers and other individuals involved fled the scene after spotting the approaching APF personnel, abandoning the vehicles.
The seized melon seeds and the five vehicles have an estimated combined value of around Rs 10 million, according to the APF.
The confiscated goods and vehicles have been handed over to the Malangawa Customs Office for further legal action, police said.