KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has arrested four more Chinese nationals in connection with the gold smuggling attempt from the Tribhuvan International Airport that took place on July 18 this year.
The CIB arrested the suspected Chinese nationals from various locations of Kathmandu after an overnight search and capture operation, the Central Spokesperson of Nepal Police confirmed on Wednesday.
“Three men and one woman have been arrested from various locations of Kathmandu in an overnight operation. They were presented before the Kathmandu District Court for extension of their detention period,” Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kuber Kadayat confirmed over phone.
CIB has requested the court’s permission to detain them for five days for investigation. The court has already granted 17 people who were arrested earlier to be detained for the same period.
Earlier, after a 19-day investigation, the DRI entrusted the responsibility of further investigation into the gold smuggling case to the CIB.
On July 18, the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) seized the smuggled gold at Sinamangal, Kathmandu right after it cleared customs at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) undetected.
The gold, packed in eight sealed cartons, was then sent to the Mint Division of the central bank for weighing. The gross weight of the consignment seized was determined to be 155 kg.
The Mint Division of the Nepal Rastra Bank on Tuesday melted the seized gold to determine its quality and actual weight. The gold was measured on Monday after removing the brake shoes in which it was concealed. The yellow metal weighed 60.789 kg.
The Department of Revenue Investigation on July 18 managed to confiscate the gold concealed in motorcycle/scooter brake shoes from the gate of Customs of Tribhuvan International Airport as it was being taken out in a taxi.
The gross weight of the smuggled gold was ascertained to be 155 kilograms, which also included electric shavers, according to officials at the mint division of the Nepal Rastra Bank, which was entrusted with examining the metal.
