October 3, 2025
THIMPHU – Despite a high number of drug-related arrests made by the Royal Bhutan Police over the last one year and nine months, only a small fraction of the offenders have had their photographs published on the police’s official Facebook page.
In 2024, photos of only nine individuals were posted, and this year, as of September 21, photos of just two individuals have been uploaded. This is in contrast to the 3,319 individuals arrested for drug offences in 2024 and the 2,405 arrested in the first nine months of this year.
Although the number of arrests has decreased by 914, the public is left questioning why so few cases result in public “naming and shaming” on the police’s social media.
The police state that the objectives of posting photographs are to raise public awareness, deter potential offenders, and encourage community vigilance.
Home Minister Tshering said that photographs are published primarily in serious trafficking cases that have significant societal implications. Lyonpo outlined two primary rationales: to raise public awareness of the risks and to deter serious crime by demonstrating accountability.
When asked whether the “naming and shaming” practice on social media is necessary, the Home Minister said that it serves as a crucial deterrent.
Lyonpo added the decline in drug arrests between 2024 and September 2025 as a positive outcome.
Given that not all drug offenders’ photos are published, Lyonpo said that only those involved in serious trafficking cases involving large seizures are publicly identified.
Regarding the strategy’s effectiveness, Lyonpo Tshering said that it is intended to complement existing enforcement and preventive measures. “The approach is meant to enhance deterrence and raise community awareness.”
To combat the country’s drug issues, the police have implemented diverse strategies, including strict enforcement and surveillance, intelligence-led policing, community engagement programmes, collaboration with stakeholders, and social media campaigns.
Other interventions comprise highway inspections, patrols in drug hotspots, drug testing, and nationwide marijuana eradication.
In addition, the National Drug Task Force, chaired by the Prime Minister, has met 13 times to date to discuss drug-related matters.
In future, the police plan to integrate technology such as data analytics and CCTV, build capacity, enhance cross-border collaboration, strengthen rehabilitation services, implement a community policing model, establish a police drug task force, and conduct nationwide awareness campaigns involving local leaders and the public.