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Five bar licenses were suspended and three establishments were fined in Sarpang in 2025, based on the severity and nature of the offences. The violations ranged from suspected prostitution to the sale of alcohol to minors, according to the Regional Office of Industry, Commerce and Employment.
Of the five suspended bar licenses, two involved suspected prostitution. In both cases, the licenses were suspended for two and a half months. Because of the criminal nature of the allegations, the cases were initially forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). However, the OAG later dropped the cases and referred them back to the trade authorities, classifying the offences as trade-related violations.
Another suspension was linked to a suspected rape case involving an adult and a minor at a hotel. The case was forwarded to the OAG as a criminal matter, while the establishment faced administrative action resulting in a two-and-a-half-month license suspension. The OAG later dropped this case as well.
In two other cases involving the sale of alcohol to minors and battery, the bar licenses were suspended for a few weeks.
Additional violations include minors entering karaoke bars, the sale of alcohol to minors, and incidents of battery and assault were dealt with through monetary penalties. Fines of Nu 22,500 were imposed in these cases.
At the national level, alcohol sales through licensed restaurants remain widespread. As of March 2025, a total of 10,346 restaurant licenses across the country are authorized to sell wine and liquor. Thimphu has the highest concentration, with 1,384 licensed establishments, followed by Sarpang with 1,240 and Chukha with 1,098.
In contrast, dzongkhags with the lowest number of restaurant licenses selling alcohol include Tashiyangtse with 149, Haa with 132, and Gasa with 64.
