Chhimi Dema
Thimphu Police saw 139 youths involved in drug-related cases between January and July this year. Thimphu recorded the highest youth involvement compared to other dzongkhags.
A total of 157 young people were arrested in the country.
According to the deputy police chief, Colonel Passang Dorji, there is a drug network in the country with Bhutanese dealers across the borders and supplying drugs within. “In attempts of earning fast money, they are damaging our youth.”
The police, he said, are working to track the drug suppliers in the country.
The police recently found that some dealers were mixing drugs together and selling them labelling them as Brown Sugar (an adulterated form of heroin) or cocaine.
“This drug will have a detrimental impact on the health of the consumer or it could lead to their death because it is a mix of psychotropic drugs,” Colonel Passang Dorji said.
He said that as law enforcers, the police arrest and charge-sheet the persons involved. “And this is not the solution to bring tranquillity to the country. Other agencies should play their role and bring out solutions to solve these issues.”
Records with the police show that 1,707 crimes were reported in the country until July 2022.
A total of 2,819 cases were reported in 2021, and 3,080 cases in 2020.
Colonel Passang Dorji said that crime cases with youth involvement are increasing.
“We are highly concerned about their engagement in unproductive activities bringing disharmony in the communities,” the colonel said. “We are strategising control programmes such as patrolling and monitoring as per the development of crimes.”
He said that most youth issues arise at nights when the dance clubs are open in the city.
He said that youth fight among themselves for trivial reasons such as staring or pushing leading to battery, assaults, and even stabbing cases.
Police records show that 170 youths were involved in crime until July this year across the country.
The highest number of cases was recorded in Thimphu with 125 cases followed by Sarpang with 24 cases.
The number of youths involved in crime increased by 126 cases between 2020 and 2021.
According to the deputy chief of police, apart from picking fights among themselves, the police receive complaints of youth shouting, damaging public proprieties, and hitting parked vehicles, among others.
The police since the ease of Covid-19 restrictions in April, have been conducting mass patrolling in the city.
A total of 133 cases of assault, battery and stabbing cases were recorded in Thimphu between January and July this year including a stabbing case.