Employee who passed the gold check at airport suspended, committee formed to investigate
The customs agency will suspend the staff participating in the examination after a big number of scooters and motorbikes were smuggled under the name of 'brake shoes' on Tuesday.
KATHMANDU: The employees at the Tribhuvan International Airport customs office who checked around 100 kg of gold will be suspended.
The customs agency will suspend the staff participating in the examination after a big number of scooters and motorbikes were smuggled under the name of ‘brake shoes’ on Tuesday.
According to Punya Bikram Khadka, the customs department’s spokesperson, the customs clearance was done by Ramesh Chand, a customs official, and Kumar Dhakal.
Customs clearance is entirely the responsibility of the examiner and designated officer. The checker should also create the gate pass for retrieving the checked pass elements.
Meanwhile, the department has constituted an investigation committee to look into the matter.
Man Bahadur Paudel, director of the department’s research section, led the formation of the investigating committee. The committee will look at who is engaged in customs clearance at the airport.
The Revenue Investigation Department retrieved the estimated 80-100 kilogram of gold that slipped through customs on Tuesday. Its specifics have not been revealed.
The gold was obtained by placing bikes and motorcycles from Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airlines on a “break shoe.” Six persons have been arrested so far as a result of the investigation.
