Nepali citizenship cards and passports have been found with seven Chinese nationals, including Dawa Tsering, a Belgian national of Tibetan origin, who was arrested in the case of 60.716 kilos of illegal gold seized on July 19.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) seized Nepali citizenship cards and passports from them who were arrested for smuggling gold to Nepal from Hong Kong.
The seven people obtained Nepali citizenship cards and passports from District Administration Office, Kavrepalanchowk, the CIB has revealed.
Yo Pucheng, who is said to be the main kingpin of the gold smuggling case, was arrested by the CIB from Singha Durbar on Thursday evening.
Similarly, Lee Weng Sun was also arrested by the police from Lainchaur yesterday evening. The Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) has said that they are the main Chinese racketeers that smuggled gold into Nepal.
Likewise, the police arrested four Chinese nationals in the gold smuggling case from Kathmandu this Wednesday. Those arrested were Tian Ping, Wen Tong, Diang Se Fa and Li Nengkai. Among those arrested were one woman and three men.
It is revealed that they acquired Nepali citizenship and passports from District Administration Office, Kavre in 2021 and 22.
The CIB is making preparations to send a letter to the DOA, Kavre for further investigation regarding the Chinese taking Nepali passports and citizenships.
Dawa Tsering, who got Nepali citizenship after marrying a Nepali girl, has also Belgian citizenship. Dawa was arrested by the DRI.
So far, 23 people have been arrested in the gold smuggling case through Hong Kong. Earlier, the DRI, which investigated the case, handed over 17 out of 18 arrested persons to the CIB. One of them has already been released.
There is a legal provision of investigation of 60 days in custody for organized crime and 90 days for tax evasion.
In the gold case, taxi driver Ashok Lama, customs agent Rajendra Rai, Dilip Bhujel, owner of Ready Trade, Dilip's uncle Ramkumar Bhujel and Harka Raj Rai, who persuaded Dilip to open the company, were initially arrested.
Similarly, Indian citizen of Tibetan origin Thupten Tsering, Chinese citizen Zeqiang Lin, cargo company owners Rajan Shrestha, Krishna Shrestha, Puskar Raj Bhatta, customs officer Santosh Chand, X-ray operator Saroj Shrestha and Kumar Dhakal involved in customs inspection were arrested.
Customs agents Yadav Shankar Parajuli, Sudarshan Gautam and Rukmina Subba were arrested on the charge of helping to pass the smuggled gold through customs office.
The CIB focused its surveillance radar on the Chinese citizens, of late. The CIB is carrying out investigation into the case after arresting six Chinese nationals, besides Dawa.
