KAKARBHITTA: The Armed Police Force (APF) has intensified surveillance at various border points in Jhapa district, including the major eastern gate of Kakarbhitta, to control revenue leakage.
This move comes in response to rising concerns from local merchants that the growing trend of residents crossing into Indian markets to purchase groceries, clothing, and household goods has stifled local trade and resulted in significant revenue loss for the state.
In an effort to regularize border trade, the APF has begun strictly enforcing a rule requiring individuals to pay customs duties for any goods valued at more than Rs 100 brought from India. This enforcement is being actively carried out at key transit points, including Mechinagar, Bhadrapur, Gauriganj, and Kachankawal.
Inspector Madan Rasaily, the Information Officer for APF Nepal No. 2 Battalion Headquarters in Jhapa, stated that authorities are currently in an awareness-building phase, notifying the public that failure to pay the required duties will lead to legal action and confiscation of goods.
This local tightening is part of a broader national initiative. Following a high-level meeting on April 2, 2026, Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle and Home Minister Sudhan Gurung issued a directive for a “zero-tolerance policy” regarding revenue leakage. Security agencies have been instructed to adopt a “mission model” of performance to ensure national revenue targets are met.
In line with these federal instructions, senior APF officials, including SSP Digvijay Subedi, have been deployed to oversee border security and coordinate with customs and revenue departments.
Similar crackdowns are being reported at other major crossings, such as Birgunj and Jamunaha, as the government seeks to recover from a budget deficit that reached over Rs 150 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.
Authorities have urged the public to support local markets and utilize legitimate channels for cross-border trade to help stabilize the national economy.
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