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Recent statistics show a worrying rise in the smuggling of illegal drugs into Nepal from abroad. Majority of couriers caught in such cases are Indian nationals, according to police.

The number of Indian citizens involved in drug trafficking through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has increased sharply, with over 80 percent of suspects caught smuggling drugs by air being Indian. According to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Nepal Police, 45 Indian nationals in possession of drugs have been arrested in TIA from mid-July last year to mid-July this year. All of them were arrested for attempting to bring marijuana from Thailand. Seven of them are women.

Firoz Ahmad (35) from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, used to work as a laborer on construction sites. An acquaintance offered him a job in Laos with a monthly pay of InRs 25,000 and a plane ticket included. When he reached Laos, he did not get the promised job. Instead, his contact asked him to travel back via Nepal and hand over a bag in Kathmandu. The bag contained four kilograms of heroin.

Similarly, Mouleswar Nanjundamurthy (32) from Erode, Tamil Nadu, an electrician by trade, was also taken to Laos with promises of high earnings. On his return, he was given a bag holding 3.8 kilograms of heroin and told to travel via Nepal. Both men are now in police custody, facing charges under the Narcotics Control Act.

According to NCB Chief Krishna Koirala, the two were arrested in the space of one day in the first week of August when they arrived in Kathmandu from Laos via Bangkok. The heroin was hidden inside chocolate packets. Police believe the mastermind, who recruited the two, could be the same person, and the drugs were intended to be smuggled into India via land routes from Nepal. Over the past year, police have arrested 307 Indian citizens and 18 from other countries for drug offences. A total of 5,001 drug offense cases have been filed in fiscal year 2024/25. About 52 tons of marijuana, 829 kilograms of hashish, 49 kilograms of heroin and over 20 kilograms of cocaine were seized during the year.

Another case involved 49-year-old Abdus Samad Jamil Mansuri (49) from Mumbai. With no steady work, he readily accepted offers for odd jobs. One day, he was promised payment to travel to Azerbaijan and bring back a suitcase. On arrival in Nepal, his suspicious behavior drew the attention of security personnel. When police searched him, they found 3.4 kilograms of cocaine hidden in plastic bags. He claimed that someone in Azerbaijan had asked him to take it to India.

Similarly, just days earlier, another Indian national, Rakesh Ohawal (65), was arrested with 6.5 kilograms of heroin hidden in his luggage.

In the past, most foreign nationals arrested in Nepal for drug trafficking were in transit to third countries. Recently, however, Indian nationals have been found smuggling drugs from Thailand to India via Nepal. One major drug smuggled is Thailand’s marijuana, which is specially cultivated and chemically treated. NCB officials say this drug is long-lasting and highly potent, and is in high demand in both Nepal and India.

NCB spokesperson Janak Bahadur Shahi said Indian nationals smuggling drugs by air are often poor and unemployed, lured with fixed payments to act as carriers. “Trafficking rings send them to Thailand as tourists and then hand them drug-filled bags when they return,” he added.

A few weeks ago, a young woman from Manipur, India, was arrested at TIA with Thai marijuana. She had been promised Rs 50,000 by traffickers.

Nepal’s role as a drug transit point is not new. For years, traffickers have used Nepal to move drugs to third countries. The question remains: is this because Nepal’s security is weak?

NCB chief Krishna Koirala explains that drug trafficking is an organized, international crime with a complex network. Smugglers do not rely solely on Nepal; they also operate via Indian airports. Security checks at TIA are strict, and police monitor passenger lists from high-risk countries to identify potential smugglers.

Nepal Police Spokesperson Binod Ghimire said the nationality of traffickers is less important than their role in the crime. While Africans are more often involved in cocaine and heroin smuggling, Indians now dominate cases involving Thai marijuana. Police say traffickers are favoring Indian nationals due to practical reasons. “Nepal and India share an open border, and Indian citizens do not need a visa to enter Nepal. Security checks for Indians are generally less stringent, making them easier targets for recruitment,” Ghimire said. “After increased scrutiny of couriers from other countries, traffickers seem to have begun using Indian couriers.”

Many of these carriers do not know the full extent of the operation, nor who owns the drugs they carry.  According to Ghimire, traffickers use multiple routes simultaneously to move drugs, and the high prices on the international market make the trade extremely lucrative for organized crime syndicates.

The government has decided to honour bantamweight champion Rabindra Dhant from Bajhang district with Rs 500, 000 cash prize. 

Dhant had defeated Indian champion Chungreng Koren  in the Matrix Fight Night held in India last Saturday.

A Cabinet meeting held on Monday took a decision to this effect. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli shared this information through his social media post. 

Similarly, the government has also decided to provide Rs 200, 000 to Diwiz Piya Lama, the coach of Rabindra Dhant. 

Despite repeated political and administrative changes in the country, conditions at the Pyuthan District Prison remain dire. Inmates continue to endure harsh daily life in a cramped facility originally built during the Rana era.

The prison, designed to hold just 25 people, currently houses 98 inmates—71 convicted prisoners (69 men and two women) and 28 detainees (26 men and two women). Overcrowding has made living arrangements and even cooking meals a constant challenge.

“The prisoners here face serious difficulties,” said Surya Bahadur Pant, head of Pyuthan Prison. He noted that many inmates possess skills such as making namlo, damlo, budha, and dhaka topi, but a lack of space has prevented them from pursuing these crafts professionally. Around 45 inmates are skilled in producing such handicrafts, using locally available materials.

Repeated efforts to construct a new prison have stalled due to budget constraints and the absence of proper planning. Although there was once a proposal to convert the Chief District Officer’s residence into a prison, the idea was dropped for security reasons. Mallarani Rural Municipality purchased land worth Rs 500,000 for the project, and local residents raised another Rs 500,000. About 19.5 ropanis of land near the district headquarters, Khalanga, was allocated for the prison around five years ago.

“Before construction, we initiated the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR),” Pant said. “It couldn’t be completed in previous years, but this year, the provincial government has advanced the work.”

In recent years, limited budgets allocated for maintenance have been used to keep the old structure functional. In the fiscal year 2019/20, two new rooms for inmates, along with a kitchen and a room for the Nepal Police barracks, were built. Aside from these additions, only minor repairs have been possible.

“There are severe shortages of drinking water and toilets,” Pant added. “This year, we are constructing water tanks and toilets.” Due to inadequate infrastructure and lack of space, the prison has been unable to offer inmates sports, recreational activities, skill-based training, or larger-scale production programs.

The Weather Forecasting Division has said the country will remain cloudy today. 

As the low pressure belt of monsoon is around the Tarai region, Nepal is predicted to have active monsoon in the next 24 hours.

Some of the places in Madhes, Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces will have heavy rainfall. Few places in these provinces will have torrential rains. 

Karnali Province is also predicted to have heavy rainfall in one to two places. 

Cloudy weather is forecasted in Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces tonight. 

Moderate rainfall is likely in the hilly region of Gandaki and Karnali Provinces. 

Most of the places in the Tarai belt are expected to have moderate rainfall tonight.