Recent statistics show a worrying rise in the smuggling of illegal drugs into Nepal from abroad. Majority of couriers caught in such cases are Indian nationals, according to police.
The number of Indian citizens involved in drug trafficking through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has increased sharply, with over 80 percent of suspects caught smuggling drugs by air being Indian. According to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Nepal Police, 45 Indian nationals in possession of drugs have been arrested in TIA from mid-July last year to mid-July this year. All of them were arrested for attempting to bring marijuana from Thailand. Seven of them are women.
Firoz Ahmad (35) from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, used to work as a laborer on construction sites. An acquaintance offered him a job in Laos with a monthly pay of InRs 25,000 and a plane ticket included. When he reached Laos, he did not get the promised job. Instead, his contact asked him to travel back via Nepal and hand over a bag in Kathmandu. The bag contained four kilograms of heroin.
Similarly, Mouleswar Nanjundamurthy (32) from Erode, Tamil Nadu, an electrician by trade, was also taken to Laos with promises of high earnings. On his return, he was given a bag holding 3.8 kilograms of heroin and told to travel via Nepal. Both men are now in police custody, facing charges under the Narcotics Control Act.
According to NCB Chief Krishna Koirala, the two were arrested in the space of one day in the first week of August when they arrived in Kathmandu from Laos via Bangkok. The heroin was hidden inside chocolate packets. Police believe the mastermind, who recruited the two, could be the same person, and the drugs were intended to be smuggled into India via land routes from Nepal. Over the past year, police have arrested 307 Indian citizens and 18 from other countries for drug offences. A total of 5,001 drug offense cases have been filed in fiscal year 2024/25. About 52 tons of marijuana, 829 kilograms of hashish, 49 kilograms of heroin and over 20 kilograms of cocaine were seized during the year.
Another case involved 49-year-old Abdus Samad Jamil Mansuri (49) from Mumbai. With no steady work, he readily accepted offers for odd jobs. One day, he was promised payment to travel to Azerbaijan and bring back a suitcase. On arrival in Nepal, his suspicious behavior drew the attention of security personnel. When police searched him, they found 3.4 kilograms of cocaine hidden in plastic bags. He claimed that someone in Azerbaijan had asked him to take it to India.
Similarly, just days earlier, another Indian national, Rakesh Ohawal (65), was arrested with 6.5 kilograms of heroin hidden in his luggage.
In the past, most foreign nationals arrested in Nepal for drug trafficking were in transit to third countries. Recently, however, Indian nationals have been found smuggling drugs from Thailand to India via Nepal. One major drug smuggled is Thailand’s marijuana, which is specially cultivated and chemically treated. NCB officials say this drug is long-lasting and highly potent, and is in high demand in both Nepal and India.
NCB spokesperson Janak Bahadur Shahi said Indian nationals smuggling drugs by air are often poor and unemployed, lured with fixed payments to act as carriers. “Trafficking rings send them to Thailand as tourists and then hand them drug-filled bags when they return,” he added.
A few weeks ago, a young woman from Manipur, India, was arrested at TIA with Thai marijuana. She had been promised Rs 50,000 by traffickers.
Nepal’s role as a drug transit point is not new. For years, traffickers have used Nepal to move drugs to third countries. The question remains: is this because Nepal’s security is weak?
NCB chief Krishna Koirala explains that drug trafficking is an organized, international crime with a complex network. Smugglers do not rely solely on Nepal; they also operate via Indian airports. Security checks at TIA are strict, and police monitor passenger lists from high-risk countries to identify potential smugglers.
Nepal Police Spokesperson Binod Ghimire said the nationality of traffickers is less important than their role in the crime. While Africans are more often involved in cocaine and heroin smuggling, Indians now dominate cases involving Thai marijuana. Police say traffickers are favoring Indian nationals due to practical reasons. “Nepal and India share an open border, and Indian citizens do not need a visa to enter Nepal. Security checks for Indians are generally less stringent, making them easier targets for recruitment,” Ghimire said. “After increased scrutiny of couriers from other countries, traffickers seem to have begun using Indian couriers.”
Many of these carriers do not know the full extent of the operation, nor who owns the drugs they carry. According to Ghimire, traffickers use multiple routes simultaneously to move drugs, and the high prices on the international market make the trade extremely lucrative for organized crime syndicates.
