INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, September 9
Police have arrested a Nepali migrant worker with 1,400 grams gold at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.
Hom
Bahadur Gurung, 50, who was traveling to Kathmandu from Qatar, was arrested today at 10:15am at TIA
Airport police with the help of customs office at TIA found the gold concealed inside two thick iron mortars and pestles that Gurung was
carrying in his luggage.
Gurung, a permanent resident of Chipchipe-7 of Tanahun district, told police that he was unaware about the gold
hidden inside the mortars and pestles that he was carrying
He also told the police that a person from his own district, whom he had met in Doha, had requested him carry the mortars and pestles and
hand them over to his people at the TIA
Gurung also said that he had not met the person before.
Acting upon Gurung information, police have arrested two men waiting for him outside
The arrestees are Anil Luitel, 33, and Bhoj Raj Ghimire, 31, both from Pathri 2 and 9 of Morang district.
According to police, Luitel and
Ghimire run a hotel at Gongabu buspark
They have not yet admitted their involvement in the smuggling case and said they were waiting at the airport for migrant workers looking for
hotels.
Acting head of Airport Customs Office Dhurba Bishwakarma said, &It is a common lie that those caught in gold smuggling cases tell
Weare sure that the arrestees are involved in gold smuggling racket.&
Superintendent of Police Krishna Koirala at TIA said that although
Gurung has been saying that he is innocent, it is very unlikely that he did not know about the gold hidden inside the goods he was carrying
&Preliminary investigation shows that he might have been used by the racketeers who are actively involved in sending gold in small
consignments through returnee migrant workers,& he added.
The TIA customs and police have confiscated 5.2 kilograms gold at TIA in the month
of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August.)In similar action, they had confiscated a total of66 kilogram gold in fiscal 2018-19, an average of 5.5
kilogram of the precious yellow metal in one month
In fiscal 2017-18, a total of65 kg gold had been confiscated at TIA.
Bishwakarma said they have confiscated more amount of undeclared gold
in recent years due to the advanced equipment installed at the airport.
According to data with Nepal Police, smuggling and illegal trade in
gold is rife in the country.
As many as 110 persons were arrested with 123.9 kilograms of undeclared gold from different parts of the
country, including TIA, in the fiscal 2018-19
The value of seized gold comes to around 444.5 million rupees
Police had rounded up 90 persons with 72 kilograms of gold in the previous fiscal
According to police, racketeers generallypay a wage of around Rs 6,000 to each migrant worker for carrying home 50 grams of gold.
DIG Bishwa
Raj Pokharel, Nepal Police Spokesperson, claimed that the law enforcement agency had stepped up action against persons involved in gold
smuggling and illegal trade, transaction and sale of the precious yellow metal by maintaining greater vigil against suspects
Security and customs officials are on high alert to respond to newer modes of smuggling adopted by gold smugglers.
According to police, most
of the smuggled gold enters Nepal from Gulf countries through TIA and Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi-Kerung points via Tibet of China.
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Migrant worker arrested with 1.4 kilogram gold at TIA appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
