07 January, Kathmandu: On December 23, 2023, officials from the Customs Department received information indicating that an individual would be arriving with four kilograms of gold on a Fly Dubai flight. The authorities also obtained the passport number of the person travelling on flight number FZ 1133.
Sources at Tribhuvan International Airport Customs Office revealed that individuals arriving in Nepal via business class tickets were supposed to undergo checks on the plane. However, this did not occur due to a lack of coordination between the plane’s staff and customs officials.
That meant no gold was found in the possession of the individual during inspection. Customs officials suspected that the gold may have been placed somewhere, considering that a separate vehicle is typically used to pick up business class passengers. Additionally, the individual’s travel history raised suspicions.
“We were not in a position to say anything, since we could not find the gold with him,” a senior officer of the Tribhuvan International Airport Customs Office said.
Recently, the customs office started search operations within the aircraft before passengers leave. This proactive measure was adopted due to numerous instances where illegal products were discovered and concealed within the aircraft’s interior immediately after landing. Despite these efforts, officials are facing challenges in detecting illegal goods even within the confines of the aircraft.
