EDITORIAL

 

The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu is considered an international airport with a heavy presence of security organs and other government agencies checking illegal business. Despite such a mechanism, TIA has become a smuggling hub. Astonishingly, one quintal of gold was recovered by the Revenue Investigation Department (RID) team, which was checked and passed by the TIA Customs Office. According to the investigation team, the gold was passed from the TIA security zone covered with the brake shoes of the motorbike that was dispatched from Hong Kong. This is not the first time that gold has been smuggled by the same party, as a huge quantity of the brake shoe covers were recovered from the warehouses used by the same smuggling group. It makes clear that several quintals of gold were successfully smuggled via TIA. As Nepal cannot consume such a large quantity of gold, it is sure that the gold that arrived from Hong Kong was smuggled to India by taking benefit of the opened border between the two countries. 

The frequency of gold smuggling via TIA is very high as just before this incident, an attempt was made by smugglers to import gold covered with electronic cigarettes. Maoist Center leader and former speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara and his son were putting pressure on the customs officials to immediately auction the said electronic cigarettes. Again, one person having multiple citizenships and passports, currently under arrest by the RID team, is found to have good relations with top-ranking Maoist Center leaders including former VP Nandakishor Pun, Mahara and Barshaman Pun.   

In the past, 32 kg of gold was smuggled to India that arrived via TIA. When the gold was hijacked by another team, two persons were even murdered heinously. Surprisingly, until now, the real owner of the gold has never surfaced. Even after the involvement of Mahara father and son in an effort of releasing the illegally imported gold from TIA, they have not been interrogated. There is a strong setting among the smugglers, and officials deployed at the TIA and there is political protection in conducting such a high quantity of gold smuggling.

The final destination of the smuggled gold is India. We have an open border with India. Keeping the border open has encouraged in flourishing smuggling trend via Nepal. Today, gold is being smuggled. Tomorrow, if international terrorist groups and criminals will attempt to misuse Nepali soil against India, the opened border could be an opportunity for conducting their criminal and terrorist activities. Our leaders and government officials are in the race for money-making business. Without hesitation, they would develop partnerships with such elements if they receive money. Let’s not expect such negative things but it is better to regulate the opened border timely to avoid any possible negative activities. Meanwhile, the Nepal government, instead of encouraging smuggling via TIA, should make all efforts to totally stop smuggling business via TIA as it is an issue of national reputation.