NEPAL

Fighting organized crime in Nepal

Nepal sits on the Himalayas landlocked between four countries, making it a source and transit country for crime groups smuggling illicit merchandise from Asia to other regions and continents.

Located on one of the most active wildlife trafficking routes in the world, Nepal is home to many endangered iconic animals, including the royal Bengal tiger, red panda, snow leopard, musk deer and indigenous rhinoceros.

Other high priority crime challenges for Nepal include drug trafficking, human trafficking, e-gambling, terrorism, cybercrime and financial crime.

The international characteristics of these crimes and their links with crime networks around the world make the role of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Nepal fundamental to maintaining national and regional security.

INTERPOL in Nepal

NCB Kathmandu plays a central role in preventing the country and surrounding region from serving international organized crime. By providing globally-sourced intelligence about regional crime trends, the NCB helps police officers across Nepal to detect and investigate the flow of illicit goods along trafficking routes in and around the country.

Headed by the Inspector General of Police and staffed by more than 10 police officers, NCB Kathmandu is a regular partner in INTERPOL-led global police operations. It is also Nepal’s gateway to wildlife investigations and specialized police units in the Himalayan region and beyond. This outreach has been key to its renowned wildlife protection efforts.

The NCB plays a strong national role in tackling serious crime such as cybercrime, crimes against children, drug trafficking, fugitive investigations and financial crime. Firearms trafficking, terrorism and trafficking in human beings are also key daily issues.

To boost national security and investigations, NCB Kathmandu has given the Tribhuvan international airport, the Special Bureau, and the Central Investigation Bureau access to INTERPOL’s criminal databases. This enables police there to quickly determine if a person is a potential security threat.

Law enforcement in Nepal

Law enforcement services in Nepal are provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

An Inspector General of Police heads Nepal’s Police Force which operates in seven policing provinces across Nepal, as well as the Metropolitan Police. Each region is responsible for maintaining law and order within its territory.

Nepal’s Human Trafficking Bureau is in charge of national efforts to tackle people smuggling and transnational human trafficking.

To counter the growing threat of cybercrime, the Nepalese Police has established a specialized Central Cyber Bureau. It identifies emerging threats and new methods for overcoming them. The Bureau is headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police and works in close collaboration with NCB Kathmandu and the Human Trafficking Bureau.

Celebrating INTERPOL’s centenary

In May 2023, Senior Sub-Inspector Purushottan NEPALI brought police collaboration to new heights by carrying the INTERPOL flag to the top of the Mount Everest.

One month later, in an inspiring presentation, the very same flag was handed over to the Organization at the annual Heads of National Central Bureaus conference in Singapore.