Thinley Namgay 

Thimphu dzongkhag court recently sentenced a 34-year-old woman to five years in prison for trafficking controlled substances into a quarantine facility.

The defendant, Sonam Dema from Trashiyangtse didn’t appeal to the High Court.

The incident happened on September 6, last year, when Sonam Dema and her husband were in facility quarantine in Hotel Kisa. Police found 64 Spasmo Proxyvon Plus (SP+) capsules in her food items at the hotel counter.

Police found that Sonam Dema ordered 64 SP+ capsules from Tandin Namgay, a private individual, and paid Nu 3,300.

Tandin Namgay brought the drugs to the hotel along with some food items and handed them to de-suups on duty at the facility. The de-suups after discovering the drugs in the package called the police.

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) argued that Sonam Dema after knowing about the incident called Tandin Namgay to switch off his phone to shield him from the authorities. According to OAG, this has obstructed prosecution.

Her urine sample showed the presence of tramadol, one of the illegal and strong drugs, which is used as a painkiller.

Sonam Dema’s husband was fined Nu 11,250 for failing to report the crime despite knowing the purchase of drugs.  He submitted to the court that the issue was between his wife and Tandin Namgay and he wasn’t involved.

Sonam Dema was arrested on September 10, last year and her prison terms will end on August 15, 2026.