Police foil drug peddlers
Posted by barunroy on May 20, 2008
By Tandin Wangchuk
19 May, 2008 – Even as police step up their vigil to curb increasing drug abuse, three separate drug smuggling busts have been made this week.
On May 13 at around 1:00 am, a 22-year old Indian from Darjeeling was arrested at the Chhuzom checkpost for trying to smuggle in banned substances.
Police recovered 43 packets of marijuana, three strips of relepin tablets and three of proxyvon from the man.
“We got the information about his misdoings but couldn’t catch him with evidence till now,” said Major Dorji Khandu of the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substance enforcement unit.
He said that the marijuana packets were concealed in a rice sack along with the rice. He was travelling from Phuentsholing to Thimphu in a taxi.
The next day, at around 1:30 pm, police arrested a 26-year old man at the Chhuzom checkpost on similar lines.
Police recovered nine corex bottles from his car and 414 pieces of nitroson (N10) tablets from his house.
Major Dorji Khandu said that the enforcement unit within the police got a tip-off about the person and the area of supply.
On the same day, at around 10:30 pm, a 28-year old unemployed man was arrested with nine bottles of corex, seven packets of marijuana, 10 pieces of N10 and 569 pieces of proxyvon again at the Chhuzom checkpost. The person was on his way to Thimphu from Phuentsholing.
Major Dorji Khandu said that most smugglers are not aware of the consequences of their offence. The person could be rejected for his security clearance. “It’s a serious offense and the conviction is very high. They will not get their security clearance certificate for any purpose,” he said.
He said that such acts would be convicted under section 498 of the penal code of Bhutan for a minimum of 9 years.
According to the police, 66 persons were arrested since January this year, of which seven were female. Of the 66, 40 were below 25 years. The youngest to be caught was 14 and the oldest 34.
The biggest drug bust this year was in April when police recovered 3,987 relepin tablets, 250 N10 and 46 tabs of diazepam.
Meanwhile, police have started using special devices to identify the kind of substances abused. There is a separate device each to detect marijuana, tablets, multi-tablet and cocaine. The entire test is done from urine sampling.
ichamani Chettri said
Dear Readers,
The rate of drug addiction is increasing day by day in Darjeelin,Kalimpong,Kurseong,Siliguri,Gangtok.Actually from where its coming we dont know but they are using siliguri as port,from there they are spreading thier network to Darjeeling,Sikkim,Bhutan,Nepaland other eastern states.
I have a doubt,there should be tight security between India and Bangladesh,India and Nepal,India and Bhutan.By blamming eash othercountry is not our solution because victims are from all countries.We have to demolish drug addiction totally from Sikkim,Darjeeling,Nepal,Bhutan and Bangladesh
Thanks and regards