MUSTANG: Authorities have released hundreds of BYD electric vehicles that had been detained in Mustang for the past two weeks after a preliminary investigation found no irregularities in their import process.
According to the Armed Police Force (APF), the vehicles seized at Jomsom and the Korala border point were released from Sunday evening following directions from the APF headquarters.
A total of 775 BYD electric vehicles entered Nepal through the northern Korala border crossing on June 4. Of these, 649 vehicles had already completed customs clearance through the Mustang Customs Office in Nechung.
The vehicles were imported by Simon Inc., and the APF had taken them under control over concerns that there could have been irregularities in the import and customs clearance process.
Government probe finds no discrepancies
In response to the concerns, the Ministry of Finance formed a three-member investigation committee led by Bhupal Raj Shakya, Director of the Valuation Division under the Customs Department’s Policy and Operations Directorate.
The committee began its investigation on June 4 after conducting field inspections in Kaski, Parbat, Jomsom and the Korala border area, where the vehicles had been held by security personnel.
According to the committee’s preliminary findings, no irregularities were detected in the electric vehicles imported through the Korala checkpoint.
Before the release, the APF had detained 98 vehicles in Hemja of Kaski, 17 in Kushma of Parbat, 266 in Jomsom after being transported from Korala via Lo Manthang, and another 394 vehicles at the Korala border itself.
Vehicles resume journey to destinations
APF Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhesh Raj Giri of the APF’s No. 33 Battalion in Jomsom said all detained vehicles had been handed over to the concerned parties on Sunday evening.
He said the vehicles had remained under APF control for nearly two weeks while authorities investigated possible customs-related discrepancies.
“With no irregularities found, the vehicles have now been released and are being transported to their destinations,” Giri said.
Of the 266 vehicles stored at the Jomsom Bus Park, 223 had already departed for their destinations by Sunday and Monday, leaving only 43 vehicles at the site.
The APF also stated that vehicles remaining at the Korala border that have completed customs clearance will be transported gradually, while those yet to complete customs procedures will be allowed to proceed once the required formalities are fulfilled.
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