21.75 Kg Gold Smuggled Via Air Route Into Nepal, Investigation Reveals

Kathmandu. It has been revealed that 21 kg 750 grams of gold recovered by the police from Mathillo Bhangal in Budhanilkantha Municipality-2 entered Nepal via air route. Preliminary investigation by the police shows that the gold was not brought in at once but in small quantities through Tribhuvan International Airport. Serious questions have arisen again about how the gold was cleared through customs and taken out. Gold has been going out through the airport many times before. On the morning of October 22, around 6 am, a BYD car was coming out of the gate from a house rented by smugglers. Based on information, the police from the Metropolitan Crime Investigation Office, who had been conducting reconnaissance for a few days, tried to stop and check the car. The car was driven by a 27-year-old Chinese national, Han Fei. As soon as the car was stopped, two more Chinese nationals came out from inside. It was found that Han Fei, who came to Nepal from China on October 10, had rented the car for 15 days. The police recovered 2 kg of gold from the car. By raiding the house after arresting the Chinese nationals, the police succeeded in recovering a total of 21 kg 750 grams of gold. SSP Santosh Khadka of the Metropolitan Crime Investigation Office informed that the operation, which was carried out after continuous monitoring for a few days, has been named 'Bravo Gulf'. He said, 'It appears that gold was brought in pieces and processed here to make ingots.' Among the three arrested, Han Fei, who came first, had rented the car for Rs 8,000 per day. He had an international driving license. Han Fei received the key to the rented house in Budhanilkantha from Guangzhou, China. Along with him, 47-year-old Zhou Longxin also came to Kathmandu on October 10. Police investigation shows that Zhen Jiale sent them to the house in Nepal from Guangzhou with the key. Han Fei told the police that the main person involved in gold smuggling is Chinese national Zhen Jiale. He lives in Guangzhou. Fei told the investigating officers about him, 'Zhen Jiale is the main boss.' So far, only three Chinese nationals have been arrested in this case. The police have arrested Han Fei, Zhou Longxin, and 37-year-old Wang Jianzhen. SSP Khadka said that the investigation is ongoing against other involved accused. They were working as per the instructions of the 'main boss'. Zhen Jiale used to give them instructions through WeChat. SSP Khadka says, 'It appears that Zhen used to give all instructions through WeChat.' All three arrested had come to Nepal via Hong Kong transit. It has been found that another member of the smuggling group rented the house on August 8. The police said that another Chinese national, Xu Chan, paid Rs 1.32 million to the landlord with an agreement to pay Rs 330,000 per month. Xu Chan, who left for China after signing the house rental agreement on July 30, has not returned to Nepal since then. The house was rented for 4 months. SSP Khadka informed that the house key was taken by Xu Chan and handed over to Zhen Jiale, who is said to be the main boss. Then the 'boss' gave the house key to Han Fei. Fei had come to Nepal with his family on July 19. SSP Khadka says, 'It appears that he came with his family, understood the market and price of gold, and returned to China on September 15.' It has been found that the Chinese used to go to and from the parking lot of Tribhuvan International Airport five to six times to receive the gold. An officer involved in the investigation says, 'Since their movement was heavy at the airport, it appears that the gold came through the air route.' The market value of the recovered gold is Rs 54 crore 60 lakh 7 thousand.