The Narcotics Control Bureau of Nepal Police arrested three Indian men in the Capital on Wednesday for drug trafficking.

The arrested Indian nationals have been identified as Raja Kunal, 37, of Bihar, Rajesh Kumar Jayashwal, 32, of Bairgania, and Abhisek Kumar Jayashwal, 37, of Purushotampur.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police Basanta Kumar Lama, a team from the bureau, following a tip-off, intercepted a vehicle with an Indian licence plate at Shantinagar, Kathmandu, and discovered a large number of prescription drugs.

“While searching the vehicle police discovered 1,047 ampoules of Diazepam, 1,037 ampoules of Buprenorphine and 1,042 ampoules of Phenergan. The drugs were hidden in a rice bag,” Lama to the Post.

All three occupants in the vehicle and the drugs were seized on the site.

The preliminary investigation has found that the trio used to buy the drugs in different parts of India and sell them to the Nepali market.

Barely a week back, on September 13, police had detained four Nepali from Gokarneshwor in Kathmandu in possession of drugs.

They were caught with 410 ampoules of Diazepam, 375 ampoules of Phenergan and 415 ampoules of Buprenorphine.

The arrestees were identified as Sujendra Lohani, 34, of Udayapur, Pema Lama, 28, of Kavre, and Ashok Tamang, 23, and Utim Lal Shah, 42, of Siraha.

According to police, a large quantity of illegal prescription drugs are being smuggled into Nepal via India.

“A drug that costs just IRS 15 in India is being sold for as much as Rs 1,500 in Nepal. There could be many Nepalis and Indians who are involved in smuggling prescription drugs from India to Nepal to make easy money,” said Superintendent of Police Krishna Prasain, the spokesperson for the bureau.

The bureau’s data of the last three years show that drug smuggling cases and arrests are on the rise.

In the fiscal year 2016/17, police arrested 3,607 people on drug smuggling charge; 159 of them were foreigners. In the fiscal year 2017/18, police arrested 4,754 people including 149 foreigners. Similarly, in the year 2018/19, police arrested 5,558, including 201 foreign nationals.

“In the festive season, lots of goods enter Nepal from India. And during this time, border security is usually lax, allowing drug smugglers to cross the border without getting caught,” said SSP Lama.