Nepal emerges as a transit route for smuggling watermelon kernels into India

Traders exploit low customs tariffs on agricultural imports to bring 19,000 tonnes of melon seeds into Nepal before moving them illegally across the open border to cash in on high demand in Indian markets.

Nepal is increasingly being used as a transit route for smuggling watermelon kernels into India, with traders exploiting low customs tariffs on agricultural imports to bring in large quantities of the product before moving it across the porous border.