Two Chinese Nationals Arrested in Nepal for Gold Smuggling Racket

Nepal Police apprehended two more Chinese nationals at Kathmandu airport as they were preparing to board a flight to Beijing, in connection with a large-scale gold smuggling operation. The authorities had seized a quintal of gold last month, smuggled from Hong Kong, and arrested multiple Chinese and Nepali individuals in relation to the case. The smuggled gold is suspected to have been destined for India.

The arrested individuals, Li Jialin and Li Fuyan were already on the blacklist of the Department of Revenue Intelligence due to their alleged involvement in the smuggling scheme. The incident has sparked a debate in Nepal’s parliament, with the main opposition CPN-UML demanding a high-level investigation, while criticism mounts against the government for not promptly addressing organized crime.

The case is now under the purview of the Central Investigation Bureau, and the two Chinese nationals are slated for further interrogation. The seizure on July 18 involved a significant quantity of gold hidden within motorcycle brake shoes and electric shavers. So far, 18 individuals have been arrested in connection to the smuggling ring.