Customs and security officials usually do not check the baggages of children and disabled at Nepal-India border.
Binod Bahadur Kunwar, the chief of Nepalgunj customs office, said smuggling of goods by children and disabled has impacted revenue collection at the customs.
According to the customs office, the rampant use of children, women and disabled for smuggling goods across the borders has pushed down the customs revenue collection during mid-September to mid-Oct to Rs 216.4 million, down from Rs 240 million recorded during the same period last fiscal year, at Nepalgunj customs. However, the customs office has set target to collect Rs 1.5 billion in revenue this year up from Rs 1 billion collected last fiscal year.
Kunwar said controlling smuggling is getting more difficult by the day.
He complained that traders threaten to launch transport strikes when the security personnel attempt to to stop illegal activities on the border. "We are forced to turn blind eye to rising smuggling by women, children and disabled persons," added Kunwar.
Nasir Idrish, is one of the dozens of children being used by illegal traders to transport their imported goods as carriers. "I resorted to this way of earning money as I have been left with no option for solve the problem of my daily bread," Idrish of 13 who is also a school dropout. Customs officials said the number of differently able person involved in such activities hovers around 50.
They carry goods on behalf of traders up to 30 km by bicycle. According to customs officials, state loses around Rs 80 in taxes if 10 kg of sugar is smuggled.
Mostly, traders who are involved in smuggling molasses -- a major ingredient for making alcohol -- and clothes, are making handsome earning these days by using children and disabled.
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