According to the Metropolitan Police Airport Security Office, Gauchar, thirty-eight years old Yi Wang of Hunan Province of Southern China was arrested while trying to slip through airport security with USD 74,000, Euro 76,000, Chinese Yuan 20,048 and Swiss Franc 48,000.The police carried out extensive screening of all foreigners at the baggage checking area after it was tipped off about possible smuggling of foreign currencies, TIA security chief, DIG Bijaya Lal Kayastha, said. Wang was about to board China Air flight 408 to Lhasa around 10:30 pm when the police whisked him away on suspicion.
The Chinese man had rolled Chinese Yuan 20,048 and USD 60,000 inside cigarette sticks packed in 20 packets of Double Happiness, a Chinese cigarette brand. Similarly he had hidden Euro 76,000, USD 14,000 and Swiss Franc 48,000 in the false bottom of the sole of his slippers.
The way currencies were packed proved that Wang was a professional smuggler and he is the first person to be arrested while smuggling currencies using such modus operandi in Nepal, DIG Kayastha said briefing the media. The arrested Chinese man claimed that it took him more than six hours to roll the currency notes into the cigarettes.
In the past five years, Wang is found to have travelled to Nepal for more than 15 times, according to the police. Wang had landed in Nepal more recently on August 15 and had stayed at a hotel in Thamel. In the past, he is found to have stayed at Thamel hotels like Beijing, Namdo, Chhinduwa, Phoenix, among others. The police on Friday sent Wang to the Department of Revenue Investigation, Hariharbhawan, Pulchowk for further actions.
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