Phub Dem | Paro

Paro dzongkhag court sentenced six men involved in smuggling goods via the Bhutan-China border earlier this year to a prison term ranging from three to six months.

The court convicted Lhap Tshering, Passang, and Dargo from Paro for smuggling of the goods. They were found guilty as per the section 279 of the Penal Code of Bhutan (PCB) which states that a defendant shall be guilty of the offence of smuggling, if the defendant secretly and illegally imports or exports the restricted and prohibited goods or substances including animal parts.

Among the smuggled goods were also sex toys.

The court convicted them for petty misdemeanour. They can, however, pay Nu 21,875 each in lieu of imprisonment.

As per section 280 of the PCB, the defendants were imprisoned on value-based sentencing.

Another man, Thinley, helped transport the smuggled goods from Lemdho to Zamsa. The court convicted him to three months imprisonment as per section 125 of PCB of aiding and abetting.

Kipchu was found guilty of solicitation, as the defendant requested Dargo, one of the smugglers to smuggle ten boxes of sex toys worth Nu 51,500. He has to serve two months and 28 days in prison or could pay Nu 11,000 in lieu of imprisonment.

The court also convicted Ugyen for solicitation, aiding and abetting as he asked Passang and Lhap Tshering to smuggle blankets, mattresses, tea leaves and gloves worth Nu 95,275 and helped transport the goods. He has to serve a prison term of five months and 25 days or pay Nu 21,875 in lieu of imprisonment.

Paro police arrested six of them in November last year.

The seized goods were bound for India through an illegal route.