MUSTANG: The Mustang Customs Office at Nhechung near the Nepal-China Korala border has seized 592 cartons of electronic cigarettes (vapes) on Saturday.
The consignment was recovered during a search of two suspicious containers that had been transported from Korala and were allegedly being smuggled illegally.
According to the Mustang Customs Office, container numbers Na 6 Kha 4743 and Na 5 Kha 7921 were loaded at the Chinese customs point in Korala two days earlier and were later held at the border area until Saturday evening.
On Saturday, which coincided with a public holiday, the two containers were intercepted by customs officials and security personnel while en route to Lomanthang, allegedly bypassing customs procedures. At the time of the operation, customs officials were reportedly engaged in observing the Tiji festival.
Acting on a tip-off, customs and security forces seized the containers after receiving information that large quantities of vapes were being smuggled illegally into Nepal. Officials said each carton contained around 220 vape pens, suggesting that the total seizure exceeds 120,000 units across both trucks.
The customs office is currently preparing to determine the quantity and estimated value of the seized goods in the presence of local representatives and security agencies. Meanwhile, Police Inspector Santosh Basyal, Information Officer at the District Police Office, said further investigation has begun after taking the drivers of the containers—Santosh Lama and Phontoj Dhorje—into custody.
Sources in Korala said the two containers had remained suspiciously stationary for two days near border point 24 after entering Nepal from China. Authorities had increased surveillance after the vehicles failed to proceed as expected after customs loading.
Officials suspect that the smuggling network involved may have attempted to use forged documents to mislead security agencies, including the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force.
Earlier this year, authorities seized 16,000 vape units worth Rs 22 million from Korala. Similarly, last year, customs and security agencies confiscated vape consignments worth Rs 68 million imported through the same border point.
Comment