229,366 liters of petroleum products seized
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KATHMANDU, Jan 19: Police have arrested 141 individuals over the last two months for their alleged involvement in black market in petroleum products including LPG gas from across the country.
During the period, police have also seized around 229,366 liters of petroleum products including petrol, diesel and kerosene, and 477 LPG gas cylinders from various places in the country. The majority of the seizures were made in the Kathmandu Valley.
In the past two months, police also seized 400 ghee jars of 5 kg each; 150 quintals of food items; 42,690 liters, 11,549 cartons and 1084 jars of edible oil; and 13 sacks of garments.
"We launched special operation after receiving numerous complaints from consumer rights activists and members of the public against black marketers," said the Nepal Police spokesperson DIG Kamal Singh Bam.
According to the Nepal Police, majority of petrol, diesel, kerosene, cooking gas, and edible oil, among other essentials were being transported in passenger buses, microbuses, pickup trucks, jeep and mobile vans, among other vehicles and the items were seized during regular police inspections and raids.
Of the total individuals arrested, 83 were from Kathmandu district, 25 from Lalitpur and 11 from Bhaktapur district.
In Kathmandu, 122,514 liters of petrol, 35,350 liters of diesel, 1657 liters of kerosene, and 99 cooking gas cylinders were seized over the past two months. Similarly, 2133 liters of petrol, 1980 liters of diesel were seized from Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur district saw seizure of 2,097 liters of petrol and 15,970 liters of diesel during the two months.
Police said black market activities are nominal in the Far-Western, Eastern and Mid-Western regions.
During the period, police also arrested a few senior government officials for their involvement in the black market while some police officials are also being investigated on the charge of working with black marketers.
