Kathmandu: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police apprehended four additional Chinese nationals, including a woman, on Wednesday, in connection with an ongoing investigation into a gold smuggling operation, according to epardafas.

The arrests come following the earlier seizure of a substantial quantity of smuggled gold originating from Hong Kong and entering Nepal, the site reported.

The gold, ingeniously concealed within the brake shoe of a scooter, was intercepted and confiscated by the Revenue Investigation Department on July 19, exposing a network of  illegal transportation of precious metals, the website reported.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kuber Kadayat, the official spokesperson for the Nepal Police, identified the detained as Mi-Tian (female), Wen Yang, Ding Sheng Fa, and Li Nengkai.

Kadayat stated that the arrested individuals are now facing charges related to organized crime and the smuggling of illegal gold. The arrests were executed at multiple locations throughout Kathmandu, as part of a coordinated effort by the CIB.

This recent development brings the total number of arrests in connection with the ongoing gold smuggling scandal to 21, with nine of the suspects being Chinese nationals.