A police team deployed from Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) has arrested an alleged mastermind behind the 88 kg gold smuggling case from Swayambhu of the Capital on Monday.

The suspect has been identified as Man Bahadur Tamang of Rasuwa.

He is in the name list under proportional representation for upcoming elections to the House of Representatives from Nepali Congress.

He is also the Chairman of Nepal-Kerung Business Association, police said.

Police claimed that Chinese smugglers used to smuggle precious yellow metal to Kathmandu through Tamang.

A police team deputed from the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) on September 4 had confiscated 88kg gold—the biggest haul of the precious yellow metal ever confiscated in Nepal—worth over Rs 340 million from Chhetrapati in the Capital.

Police had arrested Manoj Adhikari of Makawanpur, who was driving a Tata Storme jeep, which was ferrying the gold the same day.

Earlier on September 6, police had apprehended two drivers for their alleged involvement in assisting to smuggle the precious yellow metal.

Dilip Khadka was rounded up from Rasuwa and Dampa Tamang from Syaphrubesi.

Later, police arrested Satya Narayan Agrawal, Ganeshdutta Badu, Subha Ratna Shakya, Nanda Kumar Margala, and Dinkar Salukhe from Kathmandu in connection with the 88 kg gold smuggling case.

Earlier on August 31, a police team deployed from Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had seized 15 kg gold out of 22 kg that was smuggled from China and arrested seven persons in connection with the smuggling.

Similarly, on January 5, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had seized 33 kg gold from the Tribhuvan International Airport that had passed undetected through the customs.