KATHMANDU, Jan 12: The Armed Police Force (APF) has seized electronic cigarettes (vapes) worth crores of rupees and handed them over to the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI). The vapes were smuggled through the Nepal-China border and were seized and handed over to the DRI.
The APF has refrained from commenting on the matter. A large amount of vapes was seized from a warehouse in Imadol’s Sheetal Height in Lalitpur last week. According to sources, vapes worth crores of rupees were seized after two people suspected to be involved in the smuggling were arrested on January 6.
Millions worth of smuggled lentil confiscated
Initially, the APF seized more than 500 cartons containing the vapes, equivalent to the load of two trucks, according to a source. It is suspected that the goods were smuggled through the Tatopani border and brought into the country by evading customs duties.
Sources also claim that some 1,400 units of vape were also found in the vehicle involved in the accident of APF Inspector Bijay Tuladhar. Investigations are underway by the Sarlahi Police and the DRI office in Pathlaiya. Similarly, the Butwal office of the APF has also seized vapes and an investigation is underway, the APF has said.
A few days ago, Mustang police also handed over 19,000 units of vapes smuggled through the Korala border crossing to the DRI for necessary investigation. The APF has said that an investigation into the matter is also ongoing. Initial details suggest that the operators of Silk Transport had brought the vapes illegally into the country.
