Ten people, including four Chinese nationals, have been arrested by the Anti-Trafficking Bureau of the Nepal Police for their alleged involvement in trafficking Nepali women to China.

Those arrested have been identified as Rina Tamang of Sindhupalchowk Helambu, Roj Tamang of Nuwakot, Kakani, along with Parbati Gurung, Amrita Gurung, Bharat Tamang and Usha Ku Ghimire from different parts of Lamjung.

The Chinese nationals detained by Anti-Trafficking Bureau were Zeng Siyang Dong, Zhang Dong Hui, Quan Zhan Peng, and Qin Liyang, of Hubai, China. Two of the Chinese accused were arrested with their Nepali wives from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), said Superintendent of Police Gobinda Thapaliya, spokesperson at the Anti-Trafficking Bureau.

“They were under suspicion during a security check and when police interrogated them, it was revealed that the girls were being taken to China for trafficking purposes,” Thapaliya told the Post. “They revealed that there was a group of 10 people who were helping them. Following this, we have arrested eight others from different parts of the Capital.”

Preliminary investigations have revealed that agents tempt poor women from different parts of the country, mostly rural areas, to Kathmandu with lucrative jobs and offers of a better lifestyle in foreign countries, said Senior Superintendent of Police Ishwar Babu Karki at the Anti-Trafficking Bureau.

“We have rescued four women—two from the airport and two who were in the process of applying to China,” said Karki. “A similar incident took place around five years ago. This is the first case of bride buying since then.”

Police also confiscated 12 mobile phones, along with around Rs 2.2 million cash, INR 38,800, 3,300 Chinese RMB and $190.