Neten Dorji | Trashigang

Trashigang dzongkhag court last week sentenced two men to five years each in prison for illicit trafficking of controlled substances.

Karma Wangchuk, 27, from Retsangdung, Kanglung in Trashigang was arrested after police found possession of 2,980 capsules of Spasmo Proxyvon Plus (SP+)  in April this year. 

The judgment stated that Karma Wangchuk confessed to Royal Bhutan Police that he sold spasmo proxyvon plus after  receiving it  from his friend Tshering Dhendup.  

Section 139 of the Narcotics Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act of Bhutan 2015 and section 141 (1) of the Narcotics Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Act of Bhutan 2018 grades the offence as a third-degree felony with a prison term ranging between five to nine years. 

“He was sentenced for five years as he did not have any criminal record,” the judgment states.  

According to the judgment,  Tshering Dhendup, 24, supplied 20 boxes of Spasmo Proxyvon Plus (SP+) worth Nu 45,000 to his friend Karma Wangchuk through Facebook Messenger. 

“Tshering Dhendup also confessed he distributed SP+ to Karma Wangchuk and has given the same statement to police,” the judgment stated. 

Tshering Dhendup’s crime was graded as a third-degree felony as per section 141 (1) of the Narcotics Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse (Amendment) Act of Bhutan 2018.

The judgment also stated that he did not have past criminal records.

Tshering Dhendup from Kanglung, Pangthang who had smuggled the drugs from India was arrested from Samdrup Jongkhar last month.

The court also ordered to damage the  241 spasmo proxyvon plus drugs and submit the report as soon as possible to the court. 

The defendants have 10 days to appeal to the High Court if they are not satisfied with a lower court judgment.