BYD electric vehicles released after two weeks of detention in Mustang

Kathmandu-The Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) of BYD that had been detained by Nepal’s Armed Police Force (APF) in Mustang for the past two weeks have been released.According to the APF’s 33rd Battalion in Jomsom, the vehicles seized at Jomsom and the Korala border point were released on Sunday evening. Armed Police Deputy Superintendent Bhesh Raj Giri said the vehicles had been handed over to the concerned parties following instructions from APF headquarters.

A total of 775 BYD electric vehicles entered Nepal through the northern Korala border point during the second and third weeks of Jestha. Of these, 649 vehicles had already completed customs clearance through the Mustang Customs Office in Nechung.The APF had taken control of the vehicles amid concerns over possible irregularities in the import process. All the vehicles were imported into Nepal through the Korala border by Simon Inc.To investigate the matter, the Ministry of Finance formed a three-member probe committee led by Bhupal Raj Shakya, Director and Chief of the Valuation Branch under the Customs Department’s Policy and Operations Division.

On Jestha 21, the committee conducted field inspections and investigations in Kaski, Parbat, Jomsom, and the Korala border area, where the vehicles had been detained. According to the committee’s preliminary report, no irregularities were found in the importation of the electric vehicles through the Korala border.Based on the preliminary findings, the detained vehicles have now been released and returned to the concerned parties.