Presentation on “DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT”

In Bhutan

First Programme Steering & Policy Coordination

Committee Meeting

26 – 27th November 2013, New Delhi, India

Presentation Overview:

1. Brief Country Profile

2. Brief Scenario of Drug Abuse case in Bhutan

3. Cooperation amongst the Law Enforcement Agencies at

National Level

4. Problems and Difficulties

5. Future challenges5. Future challenges

6. UNODC Cooperation/Assistance

7. Regional Law Enforcement Cooperation

� UNODC

� RILO AP

� TICA

� APG

Country Background:

� Geography:� Nestled in the southern slope of Eastern Himalayas

� Landlocked between Tibet's Autonomous Region in the north and Indian State of

Sikkim, West Bengal in the south

� Physical Characteristics:� Physical Characteristics:� Area (sq.Km) 38,394 (2011 census)

� Population- Approximately 708,265(according to the 2011 census)

� Language: Dzongkha

� Currency: Ngultrum

� Religion: Buddhist

� Form of Government:� 1907 to 2008- Monarchy

� 2008 onwards- Parliamentary Democracy

Brief Scenario of Drug Abuse Case in Bhutan

� The abuse of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic

Substances are posing serious concerns to the Government

and People of Bhutan

516

700

800

900

Drug Cases In Bhutan

� It has affected the society ranging from the youth to adult

of various Socio-economic back grounds

309

140

285

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2012 2013

NO

. o

f ca

ses

No. of person Arrested

No. of Cases

Cooperation amongst the Law Enforcement

Agencies at National Level

A. Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency

A. Drug Regulatory Authority of Bhutan

A. Department of Revenue and Customs (at the A. Department of Revenue and Customs (at the International Frontier)

B. Royal Bhutan Police (at the International Frontier)

C. Department of Trade

Areas of Cooperation:

� Enactment and Implementation of “Narcotic Drugs,Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act 2005”

� Review and Amendment of Provisions of the NarcoticDrugs, Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act2005

� Information Sharing on Drug related crimes

� Coordination Meeting among Stakeholders� Coordination Meeting among Stakeholders

� Sensitization and Awareness Programmes

� Coordination during inspection based on priorinformation

� Assist each other during Investigation

� Financial Incentives for covert / overt operations

� Collaborate in conducting In-country TrainingProgrammes

Problems & Difficulties

� Bhutan’s Porous borders with India

� Lack of Non Intrusive Equipments like X-ray Machines,

Scanners etc. to detect smuggling of drug & Drug related

crimes

� Lack of manpower in reading the X- Ray Images

� Lack of Technical Expertise in identifying Drugs� Lack of Technical Expertise in identifying Drugs

� Shortage of Drug Testing Kits

� Laboratories for Confirmatory Drug Testing

� Lack of Risk Management Experts

� Lack of knowledge on Data /Database Management

� Further Strengthen the Coordination among the Enforcement

Agencies

Future Challenges:

� Fast changing Modus Operandi

� Smuggling of Hard Drugs into the Country

� The Flight schedules have increased by many folds( minimum

of 72 flights in a week during the peak season)

� Bhutan operated its flights in new destinations like Guwahati,� Bhutan operated its flights in new destinations like Guwahati,

Bagdora and Singapore since last year

� Bhutan’s future plans to operate its flight to Mumbai and

Hongkong etc poses greater threat in the future to smuggle in

drugs

� The Conservative Method of checking at the airports would not

be an advantage to detect the smugglers

Priorities for future UNODC Cooperation

� Funding Assistance for Non Intrusive Equipments

� Opportunities for the South –South programmes

� Train the Trainer Programmes

� Capacity Development Programme in following areas:

� Drug Identification� Drug Identification

� Training on Investigations Techniques

� Risk Management Techniques / Skills

� Establishment of Laboratories

� Refreshers Courses

� Database Management in the Drug related crimes

� Funding for CBT Programmes

Regional Law Enforcement Cooperation

Bhutan's Regional Cooperation in the drug related issues are with

following organization:

� United Nations Office for Drugs & Crime� United Nations Office for Drugs & Crime

� Regional Intelligence and Liaison Offcie Asia Pacific, South

Korea

� Thailand International Cooperation Agency

� Asia Pacific Group for Anti Money Laundering

� Assistance in the Enactment of the Act & Rules

� CBT Programmes

� Installation

� Partial funding for the Training of Law Enforcement Officers

United Nations Office for Drugs & Crime

� Partial funding for the Training of Law Enforcement Officers

� Capacity Development Programmes for the Law Enforcement

Officers in Collaboration with NACEAN

� Forensic Trainings for Laboratory personals & Law Enforcers

� Drug & Precursors Testing Kits

Thanks for your patience

TASHI DELEK