RAUTAHAT: Two Indian nationals arrested with one and half quintals of tobacco in Rautahat have been released without any penalty, on Saturday.

A team deployed from Gaur-based Armed Police Force (APF) Post had arrested 20-year-old Bhola Sahani and 28-year-old Anil Sah, from Motihari district of India, in possession of the tobacco on Friday.

They were on their way to Katahariya Bazaar when police arrested them.

Police also confiscated two motorcycles (Br 06 AA 5594) and (Br 05 D 7604) from them.

APF SP Madan Bahadur Bista informed that the confiscated tobacco worth around Rs 100,000 and motorcycles of around Rs 200,000 have been handed over to the concerned Customs Office.

However, he did not comment over the release of Sahani and Sah without penalty.

Normally, the Customs Office slaps the suspects involved in such case with a fine equivalent to the total worth of the confiscated goods with additional 13 per cent VAT or jail sentence of 3 to 6 months or both.