Kathmandu: In pursuit of unravelling the intricate threads of the gold smuggling scam involving the illicit transportation of 61 kilograms of gold from Hong Kong into Nepal, the Nepal Police has taken proactive measures by dispatching a team of police officials, including members from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), for further investigation.

On a parallel front, Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Acharya from the CIB has been sent to Hong Kong with the same investigative purpose, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

As part of this comprehensive approach, the team sent to India is poised to collaborate with SSP Uma Prasad Chaturvedi, a Nepal Police officer stationed at the Nepali Embassy in India, to gather critical insights regarding the gold smuggling operations.

Inspector General of Nepal Police, Basanta Bahadur Kunwar, underscored the scope of the investigation, emphasizing that information on the large-scale gold smuggling is being meticulously collected by deploying police teams both within Nepal and internationally, encompassing India and China. Prior to this, formal requests for cooperation had been dispatched to INTERPOL in both Hong Kong and India.

The Customs Department at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) had confiscated a significant haul of 60.716 kilograms of gold, ingeniously hidden in the brake shoe of a scooter, right at the customs office gate. The subsequent investigation unveiled a web of collusion involving customs office personnel in the smuggling operation, leading to the arrest of some employees.

Notably, the ongoing investigation has resulted in the apprehension of individuals hailing from Nepal, China, and India. Among those apprehended are six foreign nationals.

In light of the police's intelligence that illegally imported gold from Hong Kong was clandestinely transported to India, Nepal Police has taken strategic steps by deploying a security team to Hong Kong to glean further insights into the operation.

With a total of 25 individuals currently in custody in connection with the gold smuggling case, the investigation is vigorously progressing. Superintendent of Police Sanjay Thapa, heading a team at the CIB, is leading the efforts to unravel the intricacies of this gold smuggling saga.