Within 55 days of the seizure of 16 kg of the yellow metal, police made another ´biggest´ seizure on Wednesday morning, of 35 kg of gold biscuits valued at over 175 million rupees, from a container truck that reached Kathmandu from Khasa. [break]
Acting on a special tip-off, a squad from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) was able to nab four individuals involved in the smuggling, including the two kingpins, within hours of the seizure of the illegal gold.
The two kingpins involved in the smuggling are identified as businessman Ghyamjo Lama, 57, of Baudha and Mohan Kumar Agrawal, 47, of Kalikasthan. The other two arrested are truck owner Om Bahadur Bajracharya, 42, of Sindhupalchowk District who has recently been living at Boudha Tusal, and driver of the truck Nima Chhiring Tamang, a 24-year-old Tatopani local who was arrested from the truck at Koteshwor.
According to DIG Prakash Aryal, director of CIB, the gold biscuits were hidden inside the bumper of the truck (Ba 3 Kha 2570). Police said a false bottom inside the bumper was used.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Ishwor Babu Karki said the seizure took place around 5:30 a.m. near Koteshwor Chowk. “Following intelligence that there was a false bottom in the truck for smuggling something valuable, we had been keeping a lookout since Friday,” he said.
After the truck cleared Tatopani customs and headed for Kathmandu, a team of about seven followed the truck. They made the arrest only in Kathmandu.
"We could have seized the gold at different check-posts in Kavre and Sindhupalchok districts but we didn´t as there was a chance of the driver fleeing," he informed, adding, "we also wanted to see if anyone would accompany the driver in the truck.
After the driver was nabbed, the CIB speedily moved in on the other accused. Ghyamjo, who has been operating a restaurant in the Boudha area, was arrested from his residence at around 9 a.m. and three hours later Agrawal was arrested from the latter´s residence at Kalikasthan, according to police.
According to DIG Aryal, the ´well-off kingpins´ appear to have been involved in smuggling more than three times. Further investigations would be carried out by the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI), he said.
The seized gold and the four arrested were handed over to DRI in late afternoon.
Khum Raj Punjali, director general of DRI, said, “We have begun recording statements from the accused and during preliminary inquiries Agrawal has denied involvement in smuggling.”
If proved guilty the accused will be fined an amount equal to the value of the gold seized, under the Customs Act-2064, and in case they fail to pay up, they will be imprisoned for five years.
Punjali said that in recent years gold smuggling from Tibet has been increasing rapidly. After security checks at airports became stricter, smugglers have started to use the roads, police said.
There is reportedly great demand for gold in the Indian market as the import duty there has increased eight percent with effect from the last few days.
DIG Aryal said, “A few years ago gold used to be smuggled from Hong Kong and the Middle East, but recently China has become a major source of smuggled gold in Nepal.
According to DRI, police seized over 50 kg of gold in the last one year, excluding the latest seizure, and some 13 people are under investigation. The four arrested on Wednesday are being held at Nakkhu for investigations.
Police also seized Rs 16,700 and US $100 from the truck driver, who spoke of a deal to pay him and the truck owner Rs 2,500 each per kg of gold after they successfully smuggled it in.
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