Police arrested two individuals with Rs 108,500 in undeclared Indian currency at the Gaur Customs Office in Rautahat district on Friday evening.
DSP Basant Gautam, spokesperson for the District Police Office, Rautahat, stated that a joint checking operation at Gaur Customs Office in Gaur Municipality-1 led to the arrest of Karan Kumar Giri, 22, and Lalbabu Ray, 35, both from Shivhar district, Rampur Bhatha police station, India. The arrests occurred around 7:45 PM on Friday as they were walking from India into Nepal.
A joint team comprising Customs Security Guard personnel and the Armed Police Force Nepal Border Security Company, Gaur, conducted the search, recovering Rs 108,500 in undeclared Indian currency and a mobile phone from the individuals.
The seized amount, Rs 108,500, exceeds the legal limit of Rs 25,000 set by Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank, for carrying Indian currency across the border.
According to Nepal Rastra Bank regulations, Nepali and Indian citizens are permitted to carry a maximum of Rs 25,000 in Indian currency per person when crossing the border, specifically in 200 and 500 denomination notes issued after November 9, 2016. Older Indian notes, particularly 500 and 1000 denominations circulated before this date, are illegal for transactions and possession in Nepal. Possessing undeclared funds is considered an offense under the Customs Act, 2064 (BS), which aims to streamline and secure international trade through systematic, transparent, and accountable customs administration.
Both individuals have been handed over to the Gaur Customs Office for further investigation and legal proceedings. The Customs Act, 2064 (BS), empowers customs officers with the authority to inspect, search, and arrest, as well as stipulate provisions for offenses and penalties related to illegal transactions. Depending on the findings, the Asset Laundering Investigation Department may also become involved in the investigation of the illicit funds.
The actual source of the recovered Indian currency and the purpose for which the arrested individuals were bringing it into Nepal remain unknown. Further investigation is ongoing to determine if other individuals or groups are involved in this incident. The specific section of the Customs Act under which charges have been filed by the Gaur Customs Office has not yet been publicly disclosed.
