More officers sent to Hong Kong to investigate gold smuggling case

Kathmandu, Sep,1 : Additional police officers have been assigned to investigate the case of gold smuggled from Hong Kong to Nepal. 

The Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI), which started its own investigation after seizing 60 kg and 716 grams of gold, has entrusted the investigation to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the police.

Initially, the CIB started the investigation under the command of Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjay Singh Thapa. But now, after the CIB started investigating the international network, an additional investigation team has been deployed, according to CIB’s Spokesperson and SP Navaraj Adhikari.

A special bureau for technical investigation of international gangs has also been involved in the investigation of the gold scam. A team including Special Bureau Chief Ram Dutta Joshi has been assigned to the investigation team.

The Police Headquarters has also sent more manpower for the investigation because of the lack of long time.

Similarly, SP Anupam Shumsher JB Rana of the Interpol branch, Kathmandu, has also been placed on the investigation committee to coordinate with the police of different countries. Police from outside the valley who are considered competent police officers have also been ordered to come to the Valley.

Among them, SP Krishna Prasad Koirala, who is the police chief of Dhankuta, has been called by the police headquarters to Kathmandu and assigned to investigate the gold scam.

Similarly, Anti-human Trafficking Bureau’s SP Krishna Prasad Pangeni has been involved in the investigation since the beginning. Earlier, SP Pangeni was deputed after requesting for help when the Revenue Investigation Department started the investigation.

After the CIB took charge of the investigation, the mastermind Chinese citizens involved in smuggling were arrested.  Some people are absconding, CIB said. Interpol has coordinated with the police of China and Hong Kong to bring them under the law. 

According to the CIB, it is also coordinating with the Indian Police on the matter.

In coordination with Interpol, Nepal Police sent an investigation officer led by CIB’s SSP Dinesh Kumar Acharya to Hong Kong on Tuesday.

Nepal Police has even reached Hong Kong to investigate the matter. SSP Acharya is going to investigate the gold-sending police team there with the help of local police. 

According to the CIB, the Police Headquarters has coordinated with the local police of Hong Kong through Interpol.

Meanwhile, Uma Prasad Chaturvedi, Consular and Senior Superintendent of Police of Nepal Police of the Nepali Embassy in Delhi, has also been included in the investigation team of the gold smuggling scam. Bureau officials said that Chaturvedi is helping in the investigation from India.

In coordination with SSP Chaturvedi, the Bureau has arrested and brought Kishwore Basnet, an accused involved in gold smuggling, to Kathmandu. Basnet was brought to Kathmandu on Wednesday.

As the same Chinese gang was found involved, the Nepal Police has sent a letter through Interpol asking them to 

cooperate in the investigation. Chinese citizens are mainly involved in gold smuggling in Nepal, claimed the CIB. 

It has been found that the arrested Chinese have been involved in gold smuggling in Nepal and India for a long time. 

CIB sources have informed that the three Chinese who have been arrested in Nepal had started smuggling gold in Nepal after being confirmed of their involvement in gold smuggling in India in the past.

Twenty-three persons, including seven Chinese, employees and agents of the Customs Department of TIA, have been arrested for their involvement in gold smuggling. 

Indian girlfriends of those arrested Chinese have also been arrested. But their involvement in gold smuggling has not been revealed, said CIB. 

The CIB is investigating the allegations of organised crime. Even though they are allowed to investigate by keeping them in custody for 60 days, the CIB has to submit the case by mid-September.