EV import probe: Action recommended against 13 employees, five importers

KATHMANDU: A monitoring team deployed by the Department of Customs (DoC) has uncovered serious procedural lapses in the clearance of electric vehicles (EVs) at the Rasuwa Customs Office.

In a statement issued on Friday, the DoC said the monitoring team found that customs employees at Rasuwa failed to exercise due diligence and did not properly fulfill their official responsibilities during the EV clearance process. “The study revealed that several vehicles were cleared based solely on documentation before the physical arrival of the vehicles at the customs yard. This is a clear violation of legal procedures,” the DoC said in the statement.

The DoC has suspended 13 officials of the office and initiated departmental action against them.

“Likewise, the Rasuwa Customs Office has also been instructed to take action under prevailing customs laws against importer companies—Laxmi E-mobility Pvt Ltd, Cimex Inc Pvt Ltd, CG Motors Pvt Ltd, Puja International Nepal Pvt Ltd and Pooja Construction Nepal Pvt—and customs agents holding license numbers 248, 833, 478 and others,” it added in the statement.

According to DoC, a separate monitoring team deployed to the Mustang Customs Office found no procedural lapses in the customs clearance process.

“A total of 649 EVs declared between May 26 and 27 under nine customs declaration forms had all physically entered Nepal by Jestha 14. The team verified through document review and CCTV footage that the customs clearance process in Mustang was conducted legally,” it added.

The DoC had sent the teams to the customs points amid public concern over alleged irregularities in EV imports through key Nepal-China border points.

The issue came to light after separate teams from the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal seized 774 electric vehicles cleared by customs offices in Mustang and Rasuwa on suspision of cutoms duty evasion.