A Chinese national was seized from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu with the currencies of various countries totalling USD 6 million in cash while he was attempting to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur, according to Pardafas.
The Chinese national, identified as Feng Changwen, had only been in Nepal for two days and was detained by airport security on June 5, 2023. On investigation, it was found that Changwen had deposited millions of rupees in a bank in Nepal.
During a routine examination, law enforcement agents discovered foreign currencies in Changwen’s suitcase. A total of USD 6 million in cash, including Nepali rupees, Vietnamese Dong, Cambodian Rial, Indian Rupees, Laotian Kip, Singapore Dollars, Malaysian Ringgit, Chinese Yuan, US dollars, and Thai Baht.
Following his arrest, Changwen was immediately sent to the Harihar Bhavan Revenue Investigation Department for further investigation. Simultaneously, the Special Bureau of Police launched an investigation to determine how the suspect received a considerable amount of illegal currency from different countries, according to Epardafas.com, a Nepal-based online magazine.
An official from the bureau commented, “His role is questionable. Currency from different countries was found in his possession. We have commenced an investigation suspecting his involvement in international crimes.”
The Revenue Investigation Department has also initiated an investigation into foreign cash embezzlement. According to Pardafas, during their investigation, it was discovered that Feng Changwen had deposited 10.2 million rupees in Citizens Bank International.
An investigating officer from the department stated, “In addition to the cash, we discovered that he had deposited 12 million rupees in the bank. We have requested detailed information from the bank.”
The Chinese individual refused to speak to the police and department officials during his statement, even while an interpreter was present. Authorities have also discovered that he has visited Nepal three times. The police have begun an investigation after suspecting probable evidence on his cell phone, according to Pardafas.
Recent data from the police indicates an alarming rise in criminal activities involving Chinese citizens utilising Nepal as a base for their operations.
Only on June 6, 2023, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Police apprehended a Chinese and a Nepalese citizen on charges of running an illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) operation in Nepal. The CIB team conducted the arrest in Lalitpur, Pardafas reported.
The mastermind behind this illicit VoIP operation is reported to be a 40-year-old Chinese national residing in Lalitpur. He was occupying a rented apartment in Baikuntha Raj Budhathoki’s house.
During the operation, the police seized a sum of Rs 483,000 in cash, along with a small quantity of foreign currency. They also discovered 2,403 Nepal Telecom SIM cards and 1,300 Ncell SIM cards in the rented apartment of the Chinese national who was taken into custody, Pardafas reported.
The illegal VoIP operation had been causing significant financial losses to telecommunications service providers in Nepal.
On January 15, 2017, three Chinese, including a woman and a Nepalese driver, was arrested for carrying a huge number of illegal foreign exchange in Nepal. The trio were found carrying USD 260,000 and around 118,000 Euros and some amounts of Canadian Dollars, Francs and Australian Dollars, totalling 47 million Nepali rupees.
They were arrested at Naghdunga on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
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