Action / Two Chinese and 115 Nepalese arrested for trapping Indians in illegal debt trap, raids in Kathmandu-Bhaktapur

In Nepal, local youths are also being used by China for loan fraud against Indians. On Wednesday, Nepal's police arrested two Chinese and 115 Nepalese nationals for fraud by running an online loan scheme targeting Indians. In this regard, Nepal Police conducted raids on Monday-Tuesday in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur districts of Kathmandu Valley.

The people arrested by the police in two separate raids are accused of being involved in cyber activities. Acting on a tip-off, the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range on Monday night apprehended a group of 37 people, including Chang Hu Bao, a Chinese national from Old Baneshwar.

Chang conducted illegal business activities targeting Indians with the help of Nepalese youth. It had also officially registered a company called Levan Group to provide IT services to business houses in the capital. After this the police busted a big racket from Sano Thimi in Bhaktapur district. Here 80 Nepalese youths including a Chinese national named Wang Jinao were arrested. 48 laptops and 14 desktop PCs were also seized from here.

Girls are also used in cheating

Nepalese citizens arrested by Nepal Police from Kathmandu included 23 boys and 13 girls. While in the second raid on a three-storey office building in Bhaktapur, 47 girls and 32 boys were arrested. Police said that girls in these offices were also used in fraud.

Money transferred from China to accounts

Chinese nationals had reportedly started business in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur only one and a half months ago. Here he offered online short-term loans to Indians with interest rates of 2.5 to 3.5 per cent. Indians taking loans without guarantee had to submit photo copies of ration cards and contact numbers. Nepali boys and girls were used to threaten over the phone if they did not return the amount with interest. These employees were paid a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 to 20,000, while the Chinese officers used to earn lakhs. Salaries and other benefits were transferred from China to the accounts of the employees.