Kathmandu, Sep 3 Nepal is witnessing a rise in criminal activities involving Chinese nationals, exposing significant gaps in the country's regulatory, immigration, and security systems, a report cited on Wednesday.
Citing police investigations, it stated that Chinese nationals are increasingly leveraging technology to commit crimes, including illegal currency trading, gold smuggling, rape, wildlife product trafficking, human trafficking, gambling, and drug-related offences.
"On 23 July 2025, two Chinese nationals were arrested in Thamel with two kilogrammes of gold and Rs 2.4 million in cash with no verifiable source. They were apprehended while conducting business from a Chinese-run hotel in the area. Just six days earlier, a Chinese national was arrested in Sinamangal, Kathmandu, with electronic equipment valued at Rs 22 million, including laptop batteries, CCTV cameras, and laptop parts. He had set up a warehouse there to sell these tax-evaded goods," a report in 'Nepal Views' detailed.
"These are just a few examples illustrating the rising involvement of Chinese nationals in criminal activity across Nepal. Two years ago, seven Chinese citizens were arrested at Tribhuvan International Airport for smuggling 100 kilogrammes of gold," it noted.
According to the report, former Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Nepal, Tek Prasad Rai, stated that Chinese nationals have been involved in organised criminal activity across Nepal for around a decade, with an alarming rise in the past five years. He attributes this surge to the ease in obtaining visas by Chinese nationals and minimal scrutiny while entering Nepal, which makes the country a hub for illegal activity.
Rai observed that as Chinese communities have grown worldwide, criminal activities have also simultaneously expanded on a global scale.
"Nepal is a victim of that globalized crime. Our security monitoring is weak, and our approach to Chinese nationals is lenient. That's why Chinese criminals find it relatively easy to operate here," Nepal views quoted the police official as saying.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, another former Nepali AIG, the report said, criticised the lack of coordination between Nepal's investigative bodies and the Chinese Embassy.
"We don't follow up or coordinate when Chinese suspects are identified. This coordination — if institutionalized — could filter problematic arrivals at immigration. Right now, there's only superficial chit-chat between the agencies and the Embassy. That's insufficient for crime control," said the former police official
Anjan Neupane, an official at Tribhuvan Airport’s immigration office, the report stated, confirmed that Chinese nationals are granted visas on arrival in Nepal and are allowed to stay up to 150 days a year without paying visa fees.
“Experts also highlight that Nepal’s diplomatic and strategic ties with China influence policy. Chinese tourists enjoy relaxed visa regulations and longer permissible stays compared to other foreign visitors, making access easier,” the report noted.
“Former security officials say that the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu has sometimes intervened in legal cases involving Chinese suspects, seeking their release. While this may reflect Nepal's efforts to maintain goodwill with China, critics argue that some law and order principles are being compromised,” it added.
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