Man Arrested for Human Trafficking and Fraud in Nepal

Kathmandu. Police have arrested one person on charges of human trafficking for defrauding people of lakhs of rupees under the pretext of sending them to Britain and America for foreign employment.

The Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau has arrested Lokman Khatri, 26, from Shantinagar Rural Municipality Ward No. 3 in Dang. Khatri, who was arrested on Monday in coordination with the District Police Office, Salyan, has been remanded in custody by the Kathmandu District Court for further investigation.

The victim youth was initially lured by the defendant Khatri with a promise of sending them to Britain on a visit visa for 25 lakh rupees, and later changing it to a working visa with a monthly income of 2 lakh.

Khatri, who initially took 4 lakh rupees for the visa process, later used the excuse that the UK visa had not been processed and assured them of sending them to America via a safe air route. Although the cost for going to America was stated as 45 lakh, police said that Khatri collected a total of 65 lakh 26 thousand 780 rupees from the victim in installments.

After taking the money, Khatri sent the victim from Tribhuvan International Airport on September 4, 2081 (Bikram Sambat) to Dubai. From there, he was taken to America via a risky illegal route through India, Nepal, Qatar, Spain, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Mexico.

The victim was arrested by the police in America for illegal entry and kept in jail for 14 months. After serving the jail sentence, he was deported and sent back to Nepal on April 7, 2082 (Bikram Sambat).

After returning to Nepal, the Bureau took Khatri into custody based on the complaint filed by the victim. During the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that Khatri had a fraud case registered against him at the District Police Office, Salyan, previously, and he was released on bail of 3 lakh rupees.

Police have expanded further investigation on the suspicion that he may have defrauded and trafficked other Nepali citizens in a similar manner, informed Rajan Limbu, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Information Officer of the Bureau.