The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Paro District Court has sentenced a 50-year-old Indian national, Thanil Wahengbam, to 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of smuggling 4.610 kilograms of heroin into Bhutan. The verdict was delivered on 4th June 2025, following his arrest at the Paro International Airport on 22nd December 2024.
The case marks one of the largest heroin seizures at Paro Airport in recent years.
The court found him guilty of the offense of illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, as defined under Section 139(1) of the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act of Bhutan 2015.
According to the law, simply possessing or importing substances listed under Schedule I, which includes heroin, constitutes an offense, regardless of whether the defendant was aware of the contents.
Under Section 140(1) of the Act, illicit trafficking involving quantities that exceed twice the threshold amount listed in Schedule VII qualifies as a first-degree felony. For heroin, the legal threshold is two grams. In this case, the seized amount of 4.610 kilograms far surpassed the specified limit.
Consequently, as per Section 140(1) of the Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substance and Substance Abuse Act of Bhutan 2015 and Section 8 of the Penal Code of Bhutan, 2024, he was sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment.
Court Findings
The Paro District Court concluded that the heroin, tested and confirmed by the Bhutan Food and Drug Regulatory Authority (BFDA), was a Schedule I narcotic with no medicinal value.
Thanil claimed he had no knowledge of the heroin concealed in the suitcase. According to his statement to police, he had travelled to Laos on 16th December 2024, to process employment documents arranged by his employer, Samson Kanu. On 21st December 2024, his employer allegedly handed him a black suitcase, asking him to carry it to Bhutan as a gift parcel for someone else.
Despite his defense, the court ruled that intent or knowledge is not required to establish guilt under Section 139(1). The mere possession and import of a controlled substance are sufficient to constitute the offense. Since the suitcase containing heroin was in his possession, and he personally transported it into Bhutan, the act satisfied both the possession and import elements of the crime.
Further investigations revealed that all of his travel expenses, including flights from Bagdogra (India) to Laos, from Laos to Bangkok, and then to Bhutan, were fully financed by his alleged employer, Samson Kanu. He also admitted to receiving an additional USD 400 from Samson along with the suitcase.
The court found these circumstances highly suspicious and ruled that he had failed to exercise the reasonable caution expected of an ordinary person.
The court said that a prudent individual would have questioned the motives behind the all-expenses-paid arrangement and thoroughly checked the suitcase’s contents, especially considering the unusual travel route arranged by someone he had met only through email.
Arrest at Paro Airport
On 22nd December 2024, at approximately 4:55 pm, Thanil Wahengbam arrived at Paro International Airport from Thailand. He passed through the Green Channel at the customs checkpoint without declaring any items. However, acting on suspicion, customs officials subjected his luggage to an x-ray scan, which revealed 4.610 kilograms of heroin hidden inside his suitcase.
During questioning, he insisted on not being unaware of the heroin and claimed he was simply delivering the parcel entrusted to him by his employer in Laos.
