The Bhutanese Leading the way.
In line with the National Drug Task Force (NDTF), the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) in coordination with the Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA) are conducting drug tests for all the Professional Driving License holders (PDL) to ensure road safety.
The RBP has arrested a total of 1,194 people under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS)cases with 652 cases, from the month of January till date. Under the NDPS seizure from January till 29th May 2023 huge numbers were seen with SP Plus (Capsules) with a total of 57,621 capsules, followed by 1,592 N10 tablets, 181 Nitrazepam tablets, 119 cough syrup bottles, 6.52 kgs of Marijuana, 4 correcting fluid/diluter bottle, 0.36 grams of Brown Sugar, 6 ml of ketamine and 71.463 liters of thinner.
This involves 652 cases and 1,194 people from January till 29th May. Of the 652 cases 177 are in court and 52 have been chargesheeted.
The Deputy Chief of Police (DCOP), Colonel Passang Dorji stated that RBP is strictly going to enforce and implement, and make sure that drug problems and cases are eradicated from the society, and it wants public support in that matter.
“Every individual must be aware of what’s happening, we are not trying to catch hold of those drug traffickers or abusers, rather we are trying to correct and direct them.”
Drug units are doing their normal works on a daily basis, but the nation-wide drug test is on.
In this case if any positive cases are detected, individuals will be referred to the hospital identified by The Pema Secretariat. The severity of the case will be decided by the medical team.
While administering drug test on the PDL holders/ commercial drivers in phases, they will be contacted to report to the nearest drug testing locations designated by the BCTA, within the stipulated time.
However, they will also be granted the opportunity to voluntarily confess to drug use following which they will be directly referred to appropriate treatment interventions, without having to undergo drug tests.
Similarly, RBP also published a notification on the 1st June stating the mandatory drug testing for all the PDL holders and commercial drivers.
The RBP will start cracking down on drug trafficking along the borders. To give more focus and attention to drugs, a dedicated Police Division and several Drug crackdown units has been set up under seven Police divisions to carry out relentless crack down on all the suppliers and traffickers.
While information collections and surveillance on drugs abusers and traffickers has also been strengthened, all the Integrated Check-Posts (ICPs) personnel will also carry out thorough checks on suspected vehicles and persons.
Narco-dogs have been trained and posted at the ICPs to assist the officials in search for hidden drugs in vehicles and on the body.
The RBP in collaboration with BCTA will also carry out random drug tests on all other drivers on the highways and towns.
