KATHMANDU, July 11: Police have arrested a person from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu for his alleged involvement in the infamous 33 kg gold smuggling scam which happened in 2017.
Hari Sharan Khadka, who was in the wanted list of the Nepal Police, was arrested from the airport when he was returning from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through a repatriation flight of Himalaya Airlines, confirmed the Nepal Police Headquarters.
According to Nepal Police, Khadka was brought to Nepal through the Himalaya Airlines repatriation flight. "The arrestee has been held by the Metropolitan Police Circle in Gaushala," said Deputy Inspector General Neeraj Bahadur Shahi, who is also the spokesperson for Nepal Police.
'Mastermind' of 33 kg gold smuggling arrested
Earlier in February 2019, Khadka was arrested by the United Arab Emirates Police after the Interpol issued a Red Notice against 12 individuals including Khadka for their involvement in the 33-kg gold smuggling.
The investigation by the police had found that Khadka is the supplier of the 33-kg illegal gold from Dubai and he was running a gold smuggling racket in the UAE.
In January 2017, police had arrested Gopal Bahadur Shahi from the TIA after he landed at the airport from an Air Arabia flight with 33-kg of gold. Later in May 2018, police nabbed Chudamani Upreti aka 'Gorey', believed to be the mastermind behind the smuggling case, from Gautighat in Kathmandu.
According to police, the arrestee will be sent to Biratnagar as the case against him is pending at the Morang District Court.
