Shyam Shrestha, of Tatopati VDC-3 in Kodari, was arrested in the course of checking at the Customs Office as he was found carrying around Rs 1.3088 million Indian rupees. According to police, Shrestha was trying to smuggle the Indian currency to Tibet. The money was in denominations of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 and was kept in a school bag that Shrestha was carrying. [break]
According to the chief of APF´s Customs Security Force, DSP Dinesh Malla, included in the seized amount is 685 bank notes in denomination of Rs 1,000; 1130 notes in Rs 500; and 83 notes in Rs 100 denominations.
Nevertheless, Shrestha , who introduced himself as a trekking guide, claimed that the money belonged to Indian tourists who were visiting Tibet. Shrestha informed police that as per the tourists´ request he collected the money from four hotels in Tatopani and was delivering it to Khasa, the Chinese border town across the border from Tatopani.
The police said Shrestha had fabricating the story about how he got the money to save himself.
DSP Malla said they asked Shrestha to produce the tourists to whom the money belongs, but Shrestha could not. Indian currency in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 is banned in Nepal.
Shrestha was handed over to the Revenue Investigation Department in Kathmandu for further investigation.
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