By Our Correspondent, Damak, Sept. 1: Trading of illegal drugs has been on the rise in Jhapa lately.

Smuggling and trading of the contraband have been on the rise from the district’s southern border point although the security personnel has been tightening the border in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Police Offices under the District Police Office have been arresting alleged drug traders and abusers almost every day there.  

The Armed Police Force Nepal Tuesday evening detained two women with brown sugar, one of the illicit drugs.

No. 2 Battalion of APF detained 21-year-old Nisha Jogi of Shivasatashi-7 and 39-year-old Bimala Dhakal of Sundarharaicha-10 in Morang district. They were arrested from Jyamirgadhi of Mechinagar of Jhapa district.  Police have confiscated 16.15 milligrams of brown sugar from the women. They were entering Nepal from India through Kalika Tea State of Mechinagar Municipality-15 when the APF team took them under control, said DSP Prem Bahadur Bhandari. 

Police have also seized Indonesian currency worth 1,000 from them. The District Police Office has begun a further investigation into the case.

Similarly, three other alleged drug traders were arrested from Arjundhara-4, Madanpur of the district. The joint patrolling team deployed from CIB, Kakarbhitta, Area Police Office, Birtamod, and Shanishchare Police Post detained them. The arrested were identified as Abit Budhathoki, 18, Sujit Samal, 39, and Saugat Khatiwada, 26. Three of them hail from Arjundhara Ward No. 2 and 3, said police.

Police have seized seven grams of brown sugar, Rs. 49,500 in cash, and five sets of mobile phones. They have been undergoing police grilling after being kept at the Birtamod Area Police Office, said the police.