KATHMANDU: Nepal Police have finally got hold of a notorious wildlife parts smuggler on the run for more than 16 years.

A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of Nepal Police on Thursday arrested Kunjok Chhiring Tamang, 50, of Namkha village in Humla and currently living in Bouddha in Kathmandu.

He was arrested from Kathmandu Metropolitan City-6 Simaltar and handed over to Langtang National Park by the CIB on Friday and is currently in the detention cell of the park office in Dhunche.

Tamang will be presented before the district court on Sunday for action.

Five members of his gang were arrested on September 1, 2005, in the then Syaphru VDC-9 of Rasuwa with five pieces of tiger hide, 36 pieces of leopard hide and 113 kg of tiger bones among others.

The main accused Tamang was absconding even after other people were convicted and served the jail term.

He was also on Interpol’s most-wanted list for his involvement in wildlife-related crimes.

He will be prosecuted as per the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 2029 BS. Article 26 (1) of the Act has a provision for a fine of Rs 500,000 to Rs 1 million or imprisonment for five to fifteen years or both.