Following a raid on a software company believed to be engaged in criminal activity, Nepal Police recently detained three Chinese nationals and a Nepalese national in Kaski District with 4.6 million Nepali Rupees.

According to Chief SP Ramesh Thapa of the District Police Office Kaski, a team raided the Chinese company on Thursday on the grounds that it may have been involved in cybercrime.

“We have arrested three Chinese and a Nepali national and 4.6 million cash by raiding a rented house at Damsite, Pokhara-17. The possessors couldn’t show the source of money which we confiscated. Also, our preliminary investigation has shown that Chinese nationals were here on a tourist visa and have been working here in Nepal which is prohibited as per the immigration law. Further investigation is currently underway,” Thapa told ANI.

The company that was raided, according to the police, was a software company that was registered in the name of Suman Tamang, a citizen of Kakani Village Council (arrested Nepali national). Chinese nationals’ identities have not yet been determined.

Three Chinese nationals and 75 Nepali nationals who worked for the company were also questioned by police. The police released the remaining employees on the condition that they would be made available to the security services as needed.

Nepal has expressed concern about the growing engagement of Chinese people in illegal operations, which is turning out to be a gateway for Chinese criminals.

This was made clear when the authorities detained 122 Chinese nationals in December 2019 for allegedly participating in criminal activities, including hacking the SWIFT Code of various banks. These individuals were also in possession of similar equipment.

They are suspected, among other things, of operating internet Ponzi schemes and defrauding foreign nationals under the promise of quick financing. Investigations into crimes committed by immigrants fall under the purview of the immigration agency.

At the time, Kathmandu was not included in the tip-off, which claimed that 4,000 Chinese nationals were operating illegally out of places like Pokhara, Biratnagar, and Chitwan, among others.

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