HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Police today nabbed Tashi Namdol Lama, a Tibetan exile living in Nepal, from Swoyambhu for his alleged involvement in trading in the body parts of endangered wild animals.

A special squad of Metropolitan Police Crime Division had arrested the 39-year-old Lama on the basis of intelligence reports that he was hiding in Swoyambhu area, where a large number of Tibetan refugees have been living.

According to Metro Police Crime Divison, he was absconding for a long time after police arrested some racketeers associated with him.

He has been charged with smuggling rhino horns and tiger skin to Tibet and abroad under ‘the cloak of a Tibetan exile.’ “He was featured in the most-wanted list of Bardiya National Parks in Thakurdwar for teaming up with poachers and smuggling the body parts of endangerd animals abroad,” an MPCD official said. He used to work as an intermediary between poachers and prospective buyers as well.

Lama has been handed over to the national park and shall be punished with imprisonment up to 15 years if convicted under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act-1973.

Nepal Police have arrested more than 40 smugglers of wildlife parts and poachers with huge amount of precious objects in the past one year.