15 Bangladeshi held in Nepal over online fraud operation

Nepal police have arrested 19 foreign nationals, including 15 Bangladeshis, in connection with an alleged international online fraud operation run from a hotel in the capital, Kathmandu.

The arrests were made during a raid on a hotel in the Paknajol area near the city's main tourist hub, Thamel, according to Nepal's Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office. The remaining four suspects are Indian nationals.

Police said the group was allegedly involved in online extortion and cyber fraud targeting internet users in Bangladesh and India. Investigators recovered computers, smartphones, and other electronic equipment used in the operation.

Preliminary findings suggest the network was overseen by a Chinese national who remains at large. Authorities said the entire hotel had reportedly been rented and converted into a scam center, similar to operations previously uncovered in Cambodia and Myanmar.

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According to police, the suspects used social media platforms to obtain or manipulate sensitive images and then allegedly blackmailed victims for money.

The arrested individuals have been handed over to Nepal's immigration authorities for further legal action over visa and immigration violations. Officials said deportation proceedings are underway while investigations continue into the group's wider international links and financial activities.