The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Customs Office has suspended an officer and two non-gazetted officers for their alleged involvement in passing conserved animals through the customs.

The Customs Office has also formed a probe committee under the headship of Under Secretary to look into the matter. The committee should submit the report within 10 days.

The investigation was taken ahead after a team of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police confiscated two chimpanzees, eight monkeys and 112 types of birds in the third week of October that had passed undetected from the TIA.

Police had also arrested two Nepalis and three Indians in possession of protected animals and birds brought from Nigeria.

Customs Office Officer Ashutosh Rai and non-gazetted officers Chudamani Sharma and Lila Paneru were stripped of their responsibilities.