The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Royal Bhutan Police (RPB) in Thimphu has arrested 72 people – 57 male and 5 female for possession and illegal transaction of controlled substances this year.
According to records maintained by the Thimphu police, possession and illegal transaction of controlled substances is shooting up by the year; they apprehended 43 citizens in January, 13 in February and 15 in March.
The number was less significant last year by this time; with 21 in January, 19 in February and 18 in March, a total of 58 were arrested. During the entire year, 307 people were arrested in possession of controlled substance in Thimphu alone.
The common imported contraband substances are Spasmo Proxyvom Nitro Sun and Tablets, imported from the border towns like Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar.
The police have identified that the permeable border and availability of such substances across the border has led to efficient drug business.
This, the police said, is the reason why the young and unemployed having no source of income get involved in smuggling such contrabands.
Records show that 105 boys under 18 years and below, and 13 females were arrested last year. Most of these people are school dropouts, the unemployed and school-going children.
According to the Penal Code of Bhutan, a person convicted of illegal transaction of controlled substances can be given a prison sentence between nine to 15 years
