Police to raid Valley warehouses

After raiding a warehouse of Dugar Food last week, Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, is planning to raid other warehouses inside the Kathmandu valley believed to be hoarding essential goods to create artificial scarcity. “We have some complaints of warehouses and companies hoarding products and hiking the prices,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Bishwo Raj Pokhrel. On December 3, the police had raided a warehouse belonging to KL Dugar Group and seized five trucks of edible oil. A case has been lodged at the Kathmandu District Court against the group’s proprietor and officials. SP Pokhrel said all police units under the Range have been instructed to adopt zero-tolerance policy on black marketeering. The Nepal Police Headquarters has also instructed its subordinate bodies across the country to remain vigilant on black marketing and take stringent measures to curb the malpractice, said Deputy Inspector General Kamal Singh Bam, spokesperson for the Nepal Police. Protracted unrest in the Tarai and the restriction on cargo movement imposed by India at major border crossings have caused an acute shortage of petroleum products, medicines and other essentials across the country. Taking advantage of this situation, many traders are said to be hoarding goods to control the prices.

Source: The Kathmandu Post