Crime:  A total 12 people, including three women, were arrested for smuggling drugs since December 2016 until yesterday.

On January 26, in one of the largest drug busts, police arrested a 31-year-old man from Babesa zero-point with 1,440 SP tablets and two Codeine-based cough syrup bottles. Police found 15,690 SP tablets, 1,520 N10, and 70 codeine-based cough syrups from his home.

In the first case on December 11 last year, two women and a man aged between 25-35 years were arrested with 15 N10 tablets and 2,736 SP tablets from Thimphu town. All three tested positive for drugs.

On December 31, police arrested a man in his thirties in Thimphu with more than 200 SP tablets. Following his confession that the drugs were brought by a friend for him, police arrested his friend the same day. Another friend had bought it for him.

The third friend was arrested with 38 SP tablets on January 1. He confessed it was bought from a 30-year-old man.

Police raided his place and found 720 SP tablets. He had bought the tablets from a woman who is a shopkeeper in the town. She was arrested with 5,112 SP tablets.

In a separate incident, two men were arrested at a snooker hall near the City Bus parking with 60 SP tablets and 13 N10 tablets. Both tested positive for drugs.

On January 25, two men were arrested with 59 SP tablets and 10 N10 tablets.

The drugs were concealed in sacks and plastic. All the arrests were made following tip offs.

Some of the cases were forwarded to court while others are under investigation.

Staff reporter