Three Somalians, four Nepalese arrested on drug trafficking charge

The Nepalese nationals were involved in smuggling 1900 vials of buprenorphine and diazepam injections. (Representational photo)

Three foreigners along with four Nepalese nationals have been arrested by police in Nepal for allegedly trying to smuggle out banned drugs and intoxicating herbs to the Netherlands from here, the police said today.

Acting on a tip off, a special police team arrested Somalian nationals — Ibrahim Ali Hajij, 22, Jam Abdifathi Ahmed, 21, and Abdi Fahad Yusuf, 25, from Kathmandu’s tourist hub Thamel for carrying eight kg of dry leaves of Khat, a kind of herb used for intoxication. The Somalians had brought the herb from Nigeria and were trying to smuggle it to the Netherlands via Nepal disguising it as tea leaves, according to the police.

The herb can cause insomnia and depression and is harmful to use as it causes psychological dependence among the users. The police have also arrested four Nepalese nationals –Vinod Khatri, 27 and Pradip Baraili, 29, both from Kathmandu, 22-year-old Jitendra Kumar from Sunsari and 33-year-old Dhanpait Das from Saptari.

The Nepalese nationals were involved in smuggling 1900 vials of buprenorphine and diazepam injections, they said. Police is carrying out probe in the case after taking them into custody.