Mahendranagar, August 18:

The Maoists, who had been collecting customs duties on the southern border point of Kanchanpur, have also begun collecting duties at the Dodhara suspension bridge. Four Maoists have been stationed for the past two days for collecting the taxes, businessmen said.

The Maoists have also been collecting customs duties from Sripur and Basaha customs points of Kanchanpur. The Maoists are issuing permits even for the smuggling of contraband goods, the businessmen alleged.

However, Kanchanpur district in-charge of the CPN (Maoist) Shrawan said they would never allow the smuggling of contraband goods into Nepal. Government officials said the Maoists were extorting money and violating the ceasefire code of conduct. “Nothing will be achieved by holding talks at the district level,” CDO of Kanchanpur Govinda Khanal said, adding, “We have informed the authority about the Maoist move.”

While Khanal said the goods found to have been brought in the district without paying customs duties would be seized, the Maoists said paying the duties to them would be enough.