Two jewellery stores in Butwal were sealed on Monday over the alleged involvement of the owners in gold smuggling to India.

The stores were sealed after an investigation showed the proprietors were involved in a case in which a man was nabbed with 1.965 kg gold while he was trying to sneak it into India, said Yuvaraj Bhattarai, information officer at Bhairahawa customs office.

A team of Armed Police Force on June 25 had handed over the accused, Humananda Giri of Dang, along with the seized gold to the customs office for an investigation into the case.

Security personnel had arrested the man with gold worth around 20 million and a car during a security check at Lumbini Sanskritik Municipality-13.

Bhattarai said they started an investigation into the case after seeking judicial custody for the accused.