Valley
3 foreigners, 1 Nepali caught with 2 kg cocaine
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized more than 2 kg cocaine from three foreigners and a Nepali just months after two foreign women were arrested with 2.72 litres of liquid cocaine.The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized more than 2 kg cocaine from three foreigners and a Nepali just months after two foreign women were arrested with 2.72 litres of liquid cocaine.
The NCB chief and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Jay Bahadur Chand said Ymeris Carmen Narvez of Venezuela, Mohamad Lamine Dabo of Nigeria, Touhid Khan of India, and Dil Bahadur Gurung of Nepal were caught with the cocaine.
DIG Chand on Wednesday said the arrestees were mules hired by an international drug cartel that supplies cocaine to European countries. Kathmandu was just one of many pit stops used by the drug traffickers , he added.
The seized cocaine had been trafficked to Kathmandu from Dubai by the Venezuelan woman, Narvez, on April 24. A woman identified as Catharine had allegedly promised Narvez USD 1,500 to smuggle the cocaine to Kathmandu from Dubai, DIG Chand said.
On May 14, Narvez had handed over the drug to Gurung and Nigerian man Dabo. Gurung was long involved in smuggling of hashish to Thailand and Hong Kong.
Gurung had received Rs 1.3 million for this particular job, DIG Chand said. He added that the fourth arrestee, Khan, had arrived in Kathmandu on May 24.
The NCB team succeeded in intercepting the cocaine and arresting the four suspected smugglers with a tip that came from two men who had been arrested in possession of hashish from Kalanki recently. The duo had informed police about Gurung and his involvement in drug trafficking trade.
DIG Chand said two other suspects, one from China and the other from Pakistani, are absconding.
Singaporean held with 3.5 kg gold from TIA
A Singaporean man was arrested with 3.5 kg gold from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Tuesday night. TIA customs official Tulasi Chaulagain said Marugaian Selvam, who landed in Kathmandu at 8:30 pm, was caught with 37 gold pieces concealed in a microwave and an amplifier. Selvam has been kept in custody of the customs office for investigation.