Kathmandu, Dec 13: Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Nepal’s primary airport, faces increasing concerns over the smuggling of illegal gold despite security measures in place. The airport, equipped with X-ray machines and walk-through gates, has witnessed a series of gold smuggling incidents, raising questions about the effectiveness of the security apparatus and potential collusion within the airport staff.

The latest incident involved a 33-year-old Egyptian national, Mohammed Lassin, who arrived on a Fly Dubai flight. Passing through both the X-ray machine and walk-through gate at the customs office, he successfully smuggled 6.565 kg of semi-solid gold. This follows earlier cases where gold was concealed within scooters, motorcycles, and even on passengers without detection.

In July, 60.716 kg of gold hidden inside vehicle brakes passed through the customs checkpoint unnoticed. Subsequent investigations revealed an additional 302.062 kg of gold smuggled through the same checkpoint in two months. The weakness of the X-ray machine has become apparent, allowing smugglers to exploit the technology’s limitations.

Chinese and Sudanese citizens have also successfully smuggled gold in recent cases, demonstrating a pattern of weaknesses in the airport’s detection capabilities. While some gold seizures occur based on prior information and surveillance, there is a growing concern about the overall efficiency of the security measures in place.

Nepal Police DIG Arjun Chand acknowledged the challenges and highlighted the need for improved attention at the airport. Customs Department Head Shobhakant Paudel admitted the limitations of the current X-ray machine and expressed the department’s intention to purchase new technology to enhance detection capabilities.

The series of gold smuggling incidents at TIA underline the urgency for technological upgrades and stricter security measures to curb illegal activities at the airport. Authorities are considering investments in advanced X-ray machines to strengthen border control and prevent further exploitation by smugglers.