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The Mustang Customs Office at Nhechung in Lomanthang Rural Municipality 4, located at the Nepal-China northern Korala border point, collected Rs 1.7844 billion in revenue in just 15 days.

Imports of goods from China through the Korala border point have surged after the Rasuwagadhi Kerung border point was completely closed following the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa.

According to Customs Chief Bidur Chudal, imports of Chinese goods through the Korala border point have been increasing after the Rasuwagadhi Kerung and Tatopani border points were completely shut.

The Mustang Customs Office collected Rs 271.1 million in revenue on Friday alone. Chudal said the office has been collecting around Rs 300 million in revenue on average each day since Bhadra 22.

According to Chudal, 71 containers and 106 electric vehicles were cleared by customs on Friday and proceeded toward their destinations.

He said 434 containers and 641 electric vehicles that entered Nepal through the Korala border point between Bhadra 10, when the Rasuwagadhi border point was closed, and Friday, Bhadra 25, were cleared by the customs office.

Chudal said the Mustang Customs Office collected Rs 2.3144 billion in revenue from customs clearance of containers and electric vehicles entering Nepal through the Korala border point from the beginning of the current fiscal year 2083/84 until Bhadra 25. By Bhadra 9, only 133 containers and 163 electric vehicles had entered Nepal through the border point.

The Korala border point had previously remained open year-round only for residents of Upper Mustang. After floods, landslides and river erosion blocked roads at the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi border points last year, the Nepal government opened Korala as an alternative point for exports and imports from Bhadra 31 last year.

According to Customs Chief Chudal, the Mustang Customs Office collected Rs 6.92 billion in revenue from exports and imports through the northern Korala border point in fiscal year 2082/83.

During that fiscal year, goods worth Rs 14.41 billion were imported and goods worth Rs 205 million were exported through the border point.

Last year, customs cleared 3,223 electric vehicles and 1,873 containers that entered Nepal through the Korala border point.