KATHMANDU, Dec 28: The Department of Customs (DoC) has seized around 500 bottles of alcohol from travellers at the Tribhuvan International Airport in the first five months of the current fiscal year and is preparing to put them up for auction.

According to a DoC official, the department will call for auction after assessing the valuation of the seized alcohol. Most of the confiscated alcoholic beverages include Red Label, Black Label, Double Black Label and vodka and whiskey from various international brands.

Air passengers, including migrant workers coming home from abroad, bring liquor from duty free shops. Since January 1, 2019, the government has enforced the rule that a single passenger is allowed to bring in no more than one liter of the alcoholic beverage from abroad.

But unaware of the government rule, many air travelers, most of whom are the returning migrant workers from the Gulf countries, bring alcoholic beverages more than the prescribed limit. The government authorities confiscate the quantity brought in excess.

The airport authorities are often blamed for manipulating the actual number of the seized alcoholic beverages to take undue benefits. “’We list the serial number and the batch number on each of the seized items, which are also provided to the passengers concerned,” said the official brushing aside the allegation.   

 
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