SIRAHA, Oct 21: The Area Police Office, Lahan, has confiscated smuggled goods worth more than a million rupees from Bhagwanpur Rural Municipality-4.
A police team led by DSP Bheshraj Rijal confiscated the goods worth Rs 1.3 million from a rented house located just about 500 meters far from the police check post. The smugglers brought the products evading customs duty, and were preparing to supply the goods to Lahan.
“We have seized 30 packets of smuggled goods from the border area. The goods are valued at Rs 1.3 million,” DSP Rijal told Republica, adding that the goods were smuggled from Jayanagar – an Indian city – into Nepal. Rijal further added that the smuggled goods include food stuff, motor parts, clothing items, cosmetics, among others.
“There is no way for the smugglers to escape. Police has adopted a 'zero tolerance' policy against smugglers. The results are visible as smugglers have been caught of late in the region,” said, Rijal.
Of late, police have increased surveillance on smugglers in the region; as a result, persons bringing goods illegally via the border with India are caught every day. Recently, police caught two persons attempting to smuggle peas to India from Bariyarpatti Rural Municipality-2. Police caught Shyam Jeevan Paswan and Roshan Mahato on a motorcycle (Ba 51 Pa 9398) with three sacks of peas.
Likewise, police also impounded four motorcycles with four quintals of black pepper from Nawarajpur Rural Municipality-4. Police handed the seized black pepper to the customs office.
According to Dipendra Yadav, a resident of Bariyarpatti, the smugglers used to transport peas and black pepper to India in pickup vans. “Also, smugglers used to bring goods and products from India without any disturbance. But, in recent times, security officials have tightened border security,” Yadav said.
Likewise, Ram Kishor Yadav, a resident of Sanhaitha, also said that police's 'zero tolerance' against smugglers has helped reduce the illegal supply of goods from and to Nepal. Police have adopted 'zero tolerance' against smugglers after the appointment of DIG Pradyumna Karki as the chief of Province Police Office, Janakpur.
Following the appointment of DIG Karki as the chief of the Province Police Office, the smugglers' nexus has been broken, according to an entrepreneur of the region. The smugglers have started lobbying to loosen border security through local representatives and lawmakers.
During an event organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lahan, the provincial and federal lawmakers asked the police officials to ease the trading of goods from and to Nepal. The lawmakers asked to ease border security to bring peas and black pepper to Nepal via third countries.
According to SP Uma Prasad Chaturbedi, chief of Siraha Police, entrepreneurs should follow the customs laws. Chaturbedi further added that anyone has to face legal action if found breaching the law.