Kathmandu, Jul 25 (IANS): Five Indian nationals were arrested on Wednesday for being in possession of over 3 kg of smuggled gold, worth Rs 14.7 million, at Tribhuvan International Airport here on Wednesday, police said.

Iswar Das, Awatar Singh, Amrit Pal Singh, Harmindar Singh and Rijwan Ansari were arrested for smuggling gold from Bangkok. They were flying on Thai Airways.

According to the police, the accused had concealed the gold in their suitcases' wheels. "This was an innovative idea to smuggle the gold... It has been seen for the first time," said Superintendent of Nepal Police Dinesh Raj Mainali.

All the five arrested have been handed over to the airport Customs office for necessary action.

On Saturday also, two Indian nationals were arrested with 2.7 kg of smuggled gold here. They were smuggling gold from Thailand.

"The ultimate market is India," said a police officer, adding that all the smuggled gold that lands in Kathmandu via Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore or China reaches the Indian market due to the open border.