Pithoragarh: Two Nepalese women were today arrested after over 8 kgs of cannabis was allegedly seized from their possession at Indo-Nepal border post at Banbasa in Champawat district here.
Asha Pun (36) and Man Kumari (38), belonging to Kapilbastu and Rupendehi districts of Nepal, were arrested by the Sashstra Seema Bal (SSB).
Each of them were caught carrying over 4.25 kgs of cannabis tightly packed to their waists, said Gautam Sagar, a SSB officer at the Banbasa border post.
“After quizing them about the network of cannabis smugglers across the border, we handed them over to Champawat police,” he added.
According to a SSB source at Banbasa, with this seizure, a total of 13.1 kg of cannabis has been seized from smugglers belonging to the neighbouring country.
“Only last week, we seized over 4.6 kg of charas from a couple, who were carrying the drugs on their motorbike,” the source added.
Champawat SP D S Kunwar said the women have been booked under various sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and sent to jail.
The arrest comes just a day after the meeting between the representatives of bordering districts of India and Nepal, where they agreed to cooperate with each other to stop increasing number of smuggling activities at this part of Indo-Nepal border.
“We have been instructed to run a information based campaign to control the narcotics and drug smugglers at this part of Indo-Nepal border,” said K C Rana, commandant of 57th battalion of SSB at Banbasa border post.