KATHMANDU: In one of the most startling seizures of artifact, the Metropolitan Police Crime Division rounded up seven antique traders, including a Tibetan woman, with a pair of flower vases made of ivory, from Matatirtha yesterday. The detainees are Rinchen Lama, 45, of Tibet, Ram Sharan Khatiwada, 37, of Nuwakot, Ram Kumar Shrestha, 32, and Surendra Lal Shrestha, 37, of Matatirtha, Pashupati Belbase, 39, of Arghakhanchi, Narayan Khadka, 49, of Bag Bazaar, and Jyoti Jangam, 37, of Bhaktapur. Acting on intelligence inputs, a team of detectives under Inspector Manjil Mukarung carried out coordinated raids on the Matatirtha-based house and Naikap-based Shyam Handicrafts of Surendra Lal Shrestha, 37, leading to the seizure of the ‘rare’ artifact at around 6 pm, informed MPCD in-charge SSP Bijay Lal Kayastha. According to a preliminary probe, Rinchin in cahoots with her husband had reportedly smuggled the vases, each standing 5 ft 3 inches tall, to Kathmandu from Tibet via the Tatopani customs about three months ago ‘in the hope of finding a moneyed client’. “Rinchin gave the flower vases to Sundar on the condition that he would gang up with others to find a prospective client of the artefacts to sell them for a hefty sum,” Inspector Mukarung explained. They had set the price of the flower vases at a whopping Rs 50 million. “They were all set to sell the flower vases to an undisclosed client for Rs 50 million when police swooped on antique traders and arrested seven suspects,” he informed. Police said they had sought help from experts at the District Forest Office to check whether the artefacts were made of ivory. Authorities have confirmed that the vases are made of ivory. Kayastha said police had launched a probe to ascertain the origin of the flower vessels in Tibet and to establish if they were lifted from holy shrines and durbars. Such vases are generally kept in entrances of famous Buddhist shrines and durbars. Police have initiated proceedings against the traders as per National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973. (Source : THT & Ekantipur)