Impact of Transnational Organized Crime on Border Security in Nepal: Challenges and Strategies

The paper explores the geopolitical factors influencing Nepal, which significantly contribute to opportunities for cross-border crime and thereby pose both internal and external security risks. It identifies different interest groups, both visible and hidden, operating within Nepal, each with their own agendas that unintentionally create opportunities for organized criminal networks. The study employs secondary data, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, to examine this issue. In its findings, the paper underscores how Nepal's strategic location and its relationships with neighboring countries influence the proliferation of cross-border criminal activities. It emphasizes the interplay of supply and demand factors involving Nepal and its neighbors, demonstrating how geopolitical considerations contribute to the facilitation of organized crime through and within Nepal. The research also highlights how changing political and economic conditions in the region, combined with geographical factors, create fertile ground for the operations of organized criminal networks in Nepal. In essence, the study reveals that Nepal's geopolitical landscape, shaped by its relationships with neighboring states and internal interest dynamics, plays a crucial role in exacerbating cross-border crime, thereby impacting both national security and regional stability