-KATHMANDU
Nepal Police have recently arrested two Indian nationals with 830 gram gold at countries sole International Airport; Tribhuvan International Airport.
The detainee had landed in Kathmandu from a Fly Dubai flight and have been identified as Rokesh Padigela of 20, (PASSPORT NUMBER: R4153074) and Santosh Gad Kundalwar of 27, (PASSPORT NUMBER: P6896315).They were caught during a security check at the departure terminal.
Airport Police informed that the gold confiscated from them is worth around Rs 14.19 million in the current market. The suspects have been sent to the TIA Customs Office in Sinamangal for further inquiry.
Carrying huge amount of gold is not permitted through the air transport and is considered illegal crime. Common passengers cannot take gold except for their personal uses.
But the major concern is about the clearance of such big amount of gold from the customs department at the airport. Previously, such incidents of gold smuggling had occurred freqeuently and a big question arises for the airport authority to find out the reasons behind the crimes happening at the airport.
Most of the Nepali gold market has been relied on illegal channels. Smugglers use both land and air routes. While major smuggling air routes to Kathmandu are from Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, land routes are from China to India.
