By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 29: Nepal Police has collected more than 300 per cent in revenue by confiscating several smuggled goods in the first five months of current fiscal year 2021/22 compared to the earlier one.
According to the data provided by Nepal Police, they collected 340.78 per cent more in revenue through gold seizure in 2021/22 than in 2020/21.

The data was made public during a press meet called by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Basanta Bahadur Kunwar at the Nepal Police headquarters on Monday.
A total of Rs. 194,237,987 revenue was generated through gold seizure in the first five months of 2020/21. During the same period in 2021/22, Rs. 856,155,791 in revenue was collected through gold seizure.
Officials informed that gold was mostly seized at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) while being smuggled from abroad.

Similarly, Nepal Police also collected revenue of Rs. 5,780,515 in the five months through confiscation of smuggled silver. It is 40.49 per cent more than in 2020/21.
Likewise, Rs. 58,755,567 was collected in revenue through seizure of illegal currency in 2021/22. It is an increment by 292.5 per cent as police collected only Rs. 14,969,416 in the previous fiscal year.
Revenue through smuggled wood seizure has also increased by 26.82 per cent. Nepal Police collected Rs. 14,484,645 through wood smuggling in 2021/22.

More revenue was also collected from traffic rule violators. Traffic Police collected Rs. 576,055,000 in fine; it is an increment by 63.69 per cent.
Meanwhile, Rs. 438,485,047 was collected in 2021/22 through seizure of smuggled goods like clothes, groceries and auto parts, among others. It is an increment by 25.76 per cent as Rs. 348,669,603 revenue was collected in 2020/21.

The growth in arrests of fugitives also aided Nepal Police to collect more revenue for the country. Through arrested individuals found guilty by the court, Nepal Police collected Rs. 257,727,807 in revenue.
“All the departments and units have been directed to curb smuggling. Surveillance has been intensified in border areas as well as the TIA. Gold smuggling has been a challenge but over 300 per cent increment in revenue collection shows that more smuggled gold is being seized,” said SSP Kunwar, who is also the central police spokesperson.

SSP Kunwar further informed that Nepal Police planned to take every possible step to mitigate smuggling.