Police nab notorious drug peddler 'Sese'

Kathmandu, 21 September (2021) - Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested Urpa Tamang alias Sese along with seven other people on drug-related charges.

Sese, hailing from Bidur Municipality-13 of Nuwakot district, spent 19 years behind bars after the police nabbed him on 19 October 1997 with 850 grams of heroin. He was sentenced with 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 rupees. However, he spent four more years in prison for failing to pay the fine.

He was released in 2016. However, he returned to the same business.

NCB Chief SSP Hriday Thapa while addressing a press conference said, "Police investigation shows that he had smuggled 80 kilos of cannabis abroad since 2016."

Sese had been smuggling drugs by hiding them in various Nepali handicraft items from Nepal through Kolkata of India to Hong Kong, China, Turkey by roadways and sea-lanes before lockdown.

After lockdown he made Qatar a new destination for smuggling and tried to smuggle drugs through Nepal's airport to that country, said SSP Thapa.

SSP Thapa said, "They were smuggling through roadways as the security was tight in Tribhuvan International Airport. This was their first attempt as the road route was stopped due to Corona."

How was Sese arrested?

The police have seized seven kilograms and 614 grams of cannabis under Operation Hash.

NCB arrested Shyam Prasad Roka, 36, and Bir Bahadur Roka Magar, 35, from Qatar Airways' flight number QR 645 on September 6 while flying to Doha at 8:30 PM. Both of them hail from Mangala Rural Municipality, Myagdi.

The police seized four kilograms 34 gram of cannabis from false bottom in their suitcase. But they were unaware of the fact that they were carrying drugs.

During the investigation it came to light that a person named Sun Bahadur Gurung had financially tempted them to carry the suitcase.

Sun Bahadur Gurung of Ganga Jamuna Rural Municipality-4, Dhading was instructed to find people flying to Qatar by Jeet Bahadur Tamang alias Yanki, 28, from Khaniyabas Rural Municipality-5 from the same district.

Yanki was also instructed by Krishna Bahadur Tamang "Maila" to find some people flying to Qatar saying he had some items to send, said NCB Chief Thapa.

"While investigating their network we arrested seven people on September 6", SSP Thapa said. "We found that Sese was the mastermind."

The NCB has additionally seized three kilograms 599 grams of cannabis concealed in handicraft products and note books from his room at Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot.

The police also seized raw materials for handicraft items.

Sese confessed of smuggling more than 80 kg of cannabis from Nepal through India to different countries, the police said. The police found out that cannabis and raw materials for handicraft were given by Bir Bahadur Tamang from Myagdi to Sese.

SSP Thapa told Lokantar, "Bir Bahadur and Sese had been cooperating in the contraband business."

They used to bring the raw materials for handicraft from Thamel, make notebooks and put the cannabis in between and send the drug abroad.

Sese and others were found to have smuggled drugs by finding new people flying abroad and asking them to be carriers with different temptations including buying tickets, feeding and buying suitcases.