CHITWAN: Eight persons have been arrested with illegal pharmaceutical drugs worth Rs 2.1 million from Madi Municipality-9 of Chitwan district.

Those arrested have been identified as Raj Kumar Mahato (28) of Kalika Municipality-4, Hari Sharan Chaudhary (31) of Kalika-3, Balkrishna Mahato (22) and Milan Mahato, both of Madi-3, Suraj Gautam (25) of Makawanpurgadhi Rural Municipality-8, Prakash Dahal (23) of Makawanpurgadhi-3, Ujjwal Pokhrel (25) of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-5, and Bipin Sapkota (23) of Hetauda-23.

According to police, the arrestees were smuggling the illegal pharmaceutical drugs from Thori of Parsa to Madi in a vehicle (Na 4 Kha 4425) when they were arrested in Someshwar with the drugs on Tuesday.

The Chitwan District Police Office made the arrested persons public today, along with the seized drugs, amid a press meet in the district.

The confiscated drugs are approximately worth Rs 2.1 million, informed Superintendent of Police (SP) Nantiraj Gurung, Chief of Chitwan District Police Office.

Meanwhile, Chitwan Police found illegal pharmaceutical drugs worth around Rs 0.95 million hidden within shrubs in the banks of Bagahi River in Madi, added SP Gurung.

The seized drugs -- used in the treatment of rheumatism, calcium deficiency, and stomach related ailments and which are not permitted by the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) -- might have been smuggled for networking purposes, suspected police.

The arrestees and seized drugs will be handed over to DDA for more investigation and action, informed SP Gurung.