Two Indians, one Nepali held on charge of yarsagumba smuggling

KATHMANDU, Dec 23: Police on Monday arrested two Indians and one Nepali national from Kathmandu on the charge of smuggling of yarsagumba, the rare medicinal herb.  

The arrested have been identified as Harish Singh Pawar and Prem Singh Rawat of Uttarakhand state of India and Gajai Singh Mahara of Nepal's Darchula district.

Acting on a tip-off, the Thankot police detained them at around 2 am from the Nagdhunga an entry point with 4 kilos and 113 grams of yarsagumba. The three persons were found to have been carrying illegal yarsagumba in a car with an Indian number plate (UK04TB1967).

The arrested persons have failed to produce any document relating to seized yarsagumba before the police. Subsequently, police handed over them to District Forest Office, Kathmandu for further investigation.