Two Nepalis Charged Over $7 Million Scheme to Smuggle More Than 250 Migrants to the U.S.

In Nepal, two Nepali men have been charged with money laundering after allegedly smuggling around 250 people into the United States through illegal means, authorities said.

Kal Bahadur Basnet from Banfikot in West Rukum and Amit Basnet from Sisne in East Rukum face the charges. The District Government Attorney’s Office filed the case at the Kathmandu District Court, seeking nearly $7 million in restitution for illicit transactions.

The duo came under investigation by Nepal’s Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau following accusations of human smuggling. Police investigations revealed nearly $5 million in illegal transactions linked to Kal Bahadur’s bank accounts and nearly $2 million tied to Amit’s accounts, totaling nearly $7 million in proven illicit gains.

Kal Bahadur was arrested in Dubai with the help of Interpol in late August and brought to Kathmandu. He is currently being held at Dillibazar Prison on charges of human trafficking and smuggling, pending trial. Amit remains at large and is listed as a fugitive in the case.

Investigators allege that the men sent Nepali citizens to the United States through illicit routes across multiple countries, while also stranding and defrauding others by promising illegal migration. The charges also include fraud and violations of foreign employment laws.

The indictment seeks around $14 million in restitution and fines, prison terms ranging from 2 to 15 years depending on the severity of the offenses, and the forfeiture of the accused’s properties, bank deposits, and insurance funds.

SP Rajan Limbu of the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau confirmed the financial findings during the investigation.

According to data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), more than 9,000 Nepalis were recorded in nationwide U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) encounters during President Joe Biden’s tenure. Many reportedly paid up to $70,000 each to human traffickers to cross the border. Under the previous Trump administration, a total of 1,850 Nepalis were recorded in USBP encounters over four years.

In September 2024, DHS recorded 360 Nepalis in USBP encounters. The figure was 260 in August, up from 210 in July and 200 in June, showing a steady increase from May’s total of 180.

In fiscal year 2024, spanning October 2023 to September 2024, 3,690 Nepalis were recorded in USBP encounters, up from 3,140 in fiscal year 2023. In October 2024, 440 Nepalis were recorded, while the number dropped to 300 in November.

From 2014 to 2022, a total of 5,180 Nepalis were recorded in USBP encounters over nine years. In contrast, 6,830 Nepalis were recorded in just 24 months since October 2022 — 3,140 in fiscal year 2023 and 3,690 in fiscal year 2024. In the first two months of the current fiscal year (October–November 2024), 740 Nepalis were already recorded in USBP encounters.

During fiscal year 2022, 1,490 Nepalis were recorded at the U.S.-Mexico border, a sharp increase from 420 in fiscal year 2021. By comparison, under the previous Trump administration, 1,850 Nepalis were recorded over four fiscal years: 650 in 2017, 720 in 2018, 340 in 2019, and 140 in 2020.

Earlier figures show 460 Nepalis were recorded in 2014, followed by 410 in 2015 and 550 in 2016. Many of these individuals reportedly paid thousands of dollars to smugglers to facilitate their entry into the United States. Some were released into the country shortly after processing, while others were detained or deported.

The Department of Homeland Security categorizes border encounters into three groups: apprehensions, inadmissibles, and expulsions.

Apprehensions refer to individuals temporarily detained by U.S. Border Patrol after illegally crossing the border between ports of entry. These individuals may or may not be formally arrested under Title 8 regulations, and they retain the right to apply for asylum.

Inadmissibles are individuals who seek legal admission at official ports of entry but are deemed ineligible by Office of Field Operations officers under Title 8. This category also includes individuals seeking humanitarian protection and those who voluntarily withdraw their admission applications. Like those apprehended, inadmissibles may apply for asylum.

Expulsions refer to migrants denied entry exclusively under Title 42, a public health measure implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19. The policy was in effect from March 2020 to May 2023. During this period, border officers were authorized to expel individuals to their home country or the last non-U.S. location they had traveled through. Unlike other categories, those expelled under Title 42 were not given the opportunity to apply for asylum.

Officials note that encounter figures do not necessarily reflect the actual number of individuals attempting to cross the border. Some migrants attempt multiple crossings within the same fiscal year and therefore appear more than once in the data, while others may enter without encountering U.S. authorities.

Meanwhile, the number of Nepali nationals deported from the United States reached a monthly record high in January 2026, with 101 individuals sent back to Nepal, according to Nepal’s Department of Immigration. This brought the total number of deported Nepalis from the U.S. to 585 as of January 2026.

Among those deported in January, 97 were men and four were women, continuing a trend in which male migrants make up the overwhelming majority of returnees. The department said deportations have been steadily increasing in recent months — 98 people were deported in December 2025 and 80 in November.

Coinciding with the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s current term, the U.S. deported 80 Nepalis on a single chartered flight in January 2026 — 79 men and one woman. Previously, 75 Nepalis — 69 men and six women — were deported in December 2025 on a similar flight.

Official data show that deportations throughout 2025 were as follows: 6 in January, 18 in February, 32 in March, 26 in April, 58 in May, 42 in June, 17 in July, 16 in August, 53 in September, and 38 in October.

Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, deportees are handed over to the Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau for initial questioning. The bureau releases most individuals to their families after routine inquiries, though deeper investigations are launched if formal complaints are filed. So far, 24 such complaints have been registered.

Investigations have revealed that most deported Nepalis had entered the United States illegally through Mexico, paying between NPR 8 million and 10 million to human smugglers. The bureau’s inquiries have largely focused on domestic agents, with officials noting that tracing foreign networks requires diplomatic cooperation.

Nepal has been accepting its deported nationals without objection, with the Nepali Embassy in Washington, D.C., playing a key role in documentation. Once U.S. authorities request travel papers for deportees, the embassy facilitates the process promptly. Officials said the number of Nepalis being deported through third countries is also gradually increasing.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is preparing to deport another large group of 121 Nepalis on February 21, 2026, through a chartered deportation flight, according to sources obtained by Khasokhas. If carried out as planned, this would mark the largest single deportation of Nepalis to date. Details about the flight schedule and aircraft type have not been disclosed.