Gold Smuggling Case: Two Chinese Apprehended

In the ongoing investigation into the gold smuggling case, Nepalese authorities have apprehended two Chinese nationals, identified as Li Jialin and Liu Fuyan. The arrests were carried out by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Friday at 8 AM.

Li Jialin and Liu Fuyan were reportedly scheduled to board a Himalaya Air flight to China at 9 AM when they were apprehended. The CIB had earlier issued a request to the Department of Immigration to blacklist the individuals.

The CIB’s swift action came after receiving credible intelligence that the two individuals were planning to flee to China. Their suspected involvement in the gold smuggling case has not yet been disclosed by the authorities.

This latest development brings the total number of arrests in the case to 20. Notably, Rukmina Subba, a customs agent, was released on a guarantee due to her battle with cancer and the need for medical treatment.

The Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) had previously arrested Suresh Tamang, also known as Naresh, on July 26, and Belgian national Dawa Tsering on July 30. Additionally, three employees of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Customs Office – Santosh Chand, Kumar Dhakal, and Saroj Shrestha – were arrested on suspicion of their involvement in the smuggling operation. The Department of Customs had previously suspended these individuals due to negligence before their subsequent arrest by the DRI.

The DRI’s investigation was being conducted under the Revenue Leakage (Investigation and Control) Act. The case has now been handed over to the CIB for further scrutiny.

The investigation initially gained traction when a DRI team discovered a substantial quantity of gold during a cargo inspection on July 18. The gold, believed to weigh nearly 100 kilograms, was ingeniously concealed within brake shoes for scooters on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight originating from Hong Kong. The import of these brake shoes was linked to Ready Trade Pvt Ltd.

To ascertain the exact weight of the seized gold, the authorities have dispatched the confiscated items to the Mint Division of Nepal Rastra Bank. However, the gold’s weight has yet to be determined conclusively.