Four Arrested in Dolpa with 35 Quintals of Illegal Medicinal Herbs
News Summary
Prepared by AI and editorially reviewed.
- Four individuals were arrested in Tripurasundari Municipality area with approximately 35 quintals of illegal Padmachal medicinal herbs.
- A joint patrol team of the Nepal Army conducted a raid in Tripurakot area, seizing two tractors and the herbs.
- The detainees have been handed over to the Shey-Phoksundo National Park administration for necessary investigation.
March 23, Dolpa – Four individuals have been arrested in the Himalayan district of Dolpa for illegally collecting 35 quintals of medicinal herbs.
According to the Shey-Phoksundo National Park office, at around 3 a.m. on Monday, four people were detained at Bagar Bazaar in Tripurakot, Ward No. 1 of Tripurasundari Municipality, along with a large quantity of illegally collected herbs.
The park authorities stated that a joint team comprising the Nepal Army’s Sangram Shardul Gulma unit and senior game scouts from the park conducted a raid in Tripurakot’s Bagar Bazaar area, seizing 35 quintals of illegal Padmachal herbs packed in 101 sacks and confiscating two tractors.
The arrested individuals include 36-year-old Naresh Budha from Tripurasundari-5, 25-year-old Elish Budha (driver) from Kumakh Rural Municipality-4 in Salyan, 48-year-old Krishna Bik (driver) from Aathbiskot Municipality-7 in Rukum West, and 33-year-old Bikas Rokaya from Tripurasundari-5.
Army personnel Harish Shahi reported that the suspects have been handed over to the national park administration office with proper documentation for necessary investigation and legal action.
The detainees were taken to Dunae District Hospital for health check-ups, and the confiscated herbs are currently under the custody of the national park.
Assistant Conservation Officer Bijan Sen of the Shey-Phoksundo National Park informed that the joint patrol was launched based on intelligence that herbs were being collected without permission and were about to be smuggled out of the district overnight.
He added that the collection of Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) has recently been banned in Dolpa, and collection of Padmachal herbs will only be permitted after studying the implementation plans and identifying appropriate areas.