The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Chhukha Dzongkhag Court sentenced the two people caught with tobacco products on the early morning of December 25, last year, at Tanalum check point with prison terms ranging from three to four years.
Thinley, 39, accompanied by Norbu Wangmo, 32, had tried to bribe a police constable at the check point. The court verdict
was announced last month.
Norbu Wangmo from Kanglung in Trashigang was announced an imprisonment term of three years for the offence of smuggling tobacco products.
Thinley from Zomsa Gewog, Punakha is a taxi driver by profession. He was given a three- year prison term for smuggling tobacco products and an addition of a year for trying to bribe the police
constable.
The two convicts and a passenger had travelled to Phuentsholing on December 24, and they purchased the tobacco products in the neighbouring Indian town of Jaigaon.
They started their journey back to Thimphu the next morning at around 2:30 am and had reached the check point at around 5:00 am.
The police constable on duty at the check post found a new nylon briefcase at the back of the seat which was covered by the seat cover. Upon further inspection, the constable found the tobacco products concealed inside the briefcase.
The driver had initially said the briefcase contained books that belonged to Norbu Wangmo. After being caught with the tobacco products, the convict, Thinley, had insisted on talking with the police constable in a corner, where he took out Nu 4,000 from his wallet as a bribe to let them go.
The Officer In-Charge was notified of the criminal acts. The bribe money was seized along with the tobacco products.
The tobacco products were worth Nu 50,000. There were 40 gums of Navy Cut (Wills), 5 gums of classic cigarette and 60 bundles of chewing tobacco (Baba).
chencho Dema/ Thimphu
