Phuentsholing police arrested two men, at different times, from the pedestrian entry gate on the morning of January 18, with a stash of controlled substances.
Based on a tip off, Phuentsholing police apprehended a 27-year-old man at around 9:10 am with 314 capsules of SP+, 13 tablets of N10 and 8.27 grams of dried marijuana. The man from Jomtshang, Udzorong, said he purchased 432 capsules of SP+ and 20 tablets of N10 on 16 January from Jaigaon paying Nu 3,250 for self-consumption. He also confessed to have purchased 7.27 grams of dried marijuana leaves from one unknown dealer in Jaigaon paying Nu 80. The suspect is unemployed.
At around 9:20 AM police apprehended another 32-year-old man from pedestrian entry gate with 297 capsules of SP+, 492 tablets of N10 and 20.34 grams of dried marijuana leaves. The suspect said he purchased 300 capsules of SP+, 500 tablets of N10 and 20.34 grams of dried marijuana on 17 January from one unknown dealer in Jaigaon paying Nu 6,000 for self-consumption. Both suspects tested positive for drug use.
In 2017, Phuentsholing police registered 60 cases in connection to drug abuse, possession and illicit trafficking of controlled substances. They made a total of 83 arrests of which two were two female and seized 20,235 tablets of SP+, 1,093 tablets of N10, 1,106 grams of cannabis, 106 grams of Hashish and 540 ml of corex. Of the arrests, 24 cases were forwarded to BNCA for treatment while 59 suspects were detained.
Likewise, Gedu police made arrests of 78 suspects, including five females, last year.