Area Police Office Rani of Morang has arrested an Indian national in possession of illegally imported silver statutes and silverwares.

Deepak Sah, 19, of Jogbani Gram Panchayat-1 in Araria District of Bihar, India, was held while he was smuggling the silverwares and statutes by evading customs duty. Police recovered eight statutes of Goddess Laxmi, 9 statues of Ganesh, 22 spoons, six fish, and 29 crowns, among other silver goods,  weighing 2.162kg, Area Police chief Santosh Niraula said.

Police caught Sah with the silver-made items during a security check at Biratnagar-15. He had hidden the goods inside his clothes. Niraula said the police swung into action after being tipped about the smuggling of silver jewelleries.

Chief at District Police Office, Morang, SP Arun Kumar BC, said the arrestee has been handed over to Regional Revenue Investigation Office, Itahari, for further investigation.