Owner of Rs. 25 crore worth of foreign currency found

KATHMANDU: The owner of foreign currency worth Rs. 25 crore, which was seized from a truck on the March 18, has been identified.

The currency belongs to Narayan Paudel from Sindhupalchowk, according to the police.

Paudel, a resident of Bhotekoshi Municipality Ward No. 4 in Sindhupalchowk, who currently resides in Tokha Municipality-10, has been confirmed as the owner of the foreign currency.

The police have already issued an arrest warrant for him.

The currency was discovered hidden in a truck (registration number Na 7 Kha 1652) on March 18.

The truck driver, 43-year-old Kusan Lama, was arrested while traveling towards Kerung.

He had concealed the currency inside false compartments of the truck.

According to the police, Lama has a history of involvement in gold smuggling. He had previously been arrested with 7 kilograms of gold near Kalanki.

At that time, he was traveling in a Toyota Hilux with the registration number Ba 8 Cha 7420, en route from Rasuwagadhi via Galchi to Kathmandu. Lama was released in 2078 (2021), but now faces further legal consequences.

The authorities are continuing their investigation into the case as they seek to apprehend Paudel.