Of them, Urmila Lama, 35, from Sindhupalchowk, Bandana Rai, 30, from Chameretar, Ilam and Bhawana Lama from Mankha-5, Sindhupalchowk were caught red-handed from Sanga Bhanjyang of Chittapol-5, Bhaktapur on Sunday.

They dodged the Tatopani customs point, Sindhupalchowk along with half kilogramme of illegal gold, the Metropolitan Police Range, Bhaktapur said.

Dhan Bahadur Lama, 48, from Mankha-5, and Tulimaya Lama, 47, who hired the women for smuggling the gold were arrested from Sanga last night, according to Range Spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramesh Thapa.   

Acting on a tip-off that gold was being smuggled in on a vehicle (BA 7 Cha 3419) to Kathmandu via the Kodari Highway, the police ambushed the vehicle and caught the hired smugglers. Police confiscated around 55 tolas of gold including ornaments (around 636 grammes) from the women. Urmila was caught wearing seven gold chains on her neck and Bandana and Bhawana hid gold in their bras. All the five accused smugglers have been handed over to the Revenue Office along with the contraband today itself, it is learnt.