Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal has seized a large consignment of the narcotic drug Tramadol Hydrochloride and detained two individuals in connection with the case.
According to the APF Intelligence Bureau, a total of 21,064 strips of Tramadol-50 were recovered during an operation carried out acting on a special tip-off. “The investigation began on the night of May 26, when APF personnel detained Birdhwaj Tamang (41) of Panauti Municipality-5 of Kavre, who had been living in rented accommodation in Katunje of Bhaktapur, for questioning. He was apprehended at Kamerotar in Madhyapur Thimi-6, Bhaktapur, at around 2:30 am,” the APF Nepal said in a statement.
Acting on information provided by Tamang, APF personnel recovered the drugs from a roadside location on the road to Kotdanda, about 300 metres ahead of Bishankhunarayan Temple in Godawari Municipality-2 of Lalitpur. The narcotics had been concealed in six sacks and two noodle cartons covered with leaves and debris.
Further investigation led to the arrest of 38-year-old taxi driver Santa Bahadur Tamang, originally from Koshipari-1 of Kavre, currently residing in Harisiddhi of Lalitpur, on Sunday. APF officials also impounded the taxi he allegedly used to transport the drugs.
According to the APF, the consignment entered Kathmandu several days earlier. Investigators believe Birdhwaj transported the consignment from Kalanki to Changathali in Lalitpur. They suspect Santa Bahadur Tamang later stored the drugs in Harisiddhi for several days and subsequently used his taxi to move and hide them at the location where they were recovered.
“Biradhwaj was handed over to the Nepal Police’s Thimi Circle on May 26, while Santa Bahadur, along with the seized narcotics and the taxi, has been handed over to the Nepal Police Unit in Godawari, Lalitpur, for investigation,” the APF Nepal said in the statement.
