KATHMANDU, Nov 30: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Nepal Police on Tuesday night arrested two Malaysians in possession of 1.5 kg of cocaine while trying to smuggle the contraband to Hong Kong via Nepal. 

The contraband was brought from Brazil as per the deal made by international drug smugglers and masterminds. The two Malaysians arrested in Nepal have been identified as Alice Joseph, 30, of Indian origin with Passport No A39234489 and Magenthiran Rajah, 26, with Passport No A35518720, according to DIG Jaya Bahadur Chand, director of the NCB.

Acting on a special tip-off from International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), a special squad of NCB tracked down Joseph ever since she landed in Nepal and followed her up to the hotel where she stayed. The police kept a close watch over her as she met Rajah to hand him the drugs. The two were arrested from a Lazimpat-based hotel with the contraband hidden in the false bottom of a laptop bag.

According to DIG Chand, Joseph landed in Nepal on Tuesday evening via an Etihad airlines. She had travelled from Malaysia to Sao Paulo of Brazil to pick the cocaine as per the instructions of Prakash Rao, a member of the drug ring in Malaysia that hired Joseph for the job. Joseph, a Masters Degree holder and professionally good at transport entrepreneurship, was lured into smuggling by Rao, according to the preliminary investigation of the NCB. 

Meanwhile, Rajah had arrived from Malaysia via Hong Kong a few days ago as per the instruction from another member identified as Max of a Hong Kong-based drug ring. He had been staying in a separate hotel close to where Joseph was stayed. 

As per the plan, Joseph was supposed to hand over the cocaine to Rajah and he would transport the drug to Hong Kong via Dragon Airways at 11 pm on Wednesday. “But we arrested them while the cocaine, worth Rs 30 million in illegal market, was being handed to the man,” said DSP Apil Bohara. 

NCB officials said that the involvement of Malaysian nationals in drug trafficking was emerging in the recent days due to unemployment. They said they were increasing vigilance on those foreign nationals who come to Nepal from Brazil. 

Police are investigating the case after taking Rajah and Joseph under custody as per the Narcotics Control Act 2033. Nepal is considered as a transit point for drug trafficking . Smugglers use the route of Nepal to transport contrabands to European countries.

 
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