MORANG, May 3: Police have arrested two passengers at Biratnagar Airport after recovering nearly Rs 2.7 million in cash whose source could not be verified.
According to Morang Police spokesperson DSP Kopila Chudal, one Indian national and one Nepali citizen were detained during routine security checks before boarding flights to Kathmandu.
Police said 36-year-old Mohidil Ali, a resident of Sujaganj in Malda district of West Bengal, India, was apprehended on Saturday while preparing to board a Shree Airlines flight to Kathmandu. During baggage screening, security personnel discovered Rs 1.598 million in Nepali currency inside his bag.
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In a separate incident on Friday night, police arrested 35-year-old Dilip Tamang of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City-18 in Sunsari district while he was about to board a Buddha Air flight to Kathmandu. Authorities recovered Rs 1.1 million in cash from his possession during a routine security inspection.
DSP Chudal said the total amount seized from the two individuals was Rs 2.698 million. “They were taken into custody after a suspiciously large amount of cash was found in their possession,” she said, adding that neither individual could provide documents verifying the source of the money.
Both suspects are currently being held at the District Police Office in Morang for further investigation.
Police said they are investigating whether the seized cash could be linked to tax evasion, illegal transactions, hundi operations, narcotics trade or other criminal activities. Authorities have also urged people carrying large amounts of money to keep supporting documents, bank statements or transaction records with them.
Investigators are now examining the financial activities, possible networks and actual source of the recovered cash, police said.
