Authorities at the Rasuwagadhi customs checkpoint seized more than 7 kilograms of smuggled gold from a container truck entering Nepal from China.

According to customs officials, the gold was hidden in a secret compartment—commonly known as a ‘false bottom’—near the driver’s seat of the truck, which was reportedly transporting apples from the Kerung border.

Tulsi Prasad Bhattarai, chief of the Rasuwagadhi Customs Office, confirmed to the Post that seven gold biscuits and several smaller fragments were recovered during an inspection based on tip-off. The total weight of the recovered gold is estimated to be approximately 7.6 kilograms.

“The gold was concealed in a sophisticated manner, which indicates organised smuggling activity,” said Bhattarai. He further noted that customs officials conducted a detailed inspection of the container following a tip-off regarding potential smuggling through the northern border.

The driver of the truck has been taken into custody, and further investigation is being conducted by the police. The seized gold has been transferred to a secure bank facility for verification and further examination.

Officials suspect that smugglers are increasingly turning to northern land routes for trafficking gold into Nepal, especially after intensified security checks at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

In recent years, Nepal has witnessed a surge in gold smuggling cases, with sophisticated concealment methods being used to bypass customs and security measures.

This latest seizure underscores ongoing concerns about vulnerabilities at border points like Rasuwagadhi, which connects Nepal to China’s Tibet Autonomous Region via the Kerung checkpoint.

Authorities say they are ramping up surveillance and inspection measures at land border points to curb the illicit trade.