Arya News - It was followed by battery with 206 cases, larceny with 140, illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances with 116, and burglary with 103 cases.
THIMPHU – Drug-related offences account for more than one-third of all cases, while suicides reach 50 during the first half of 2026
Domestic violence, battery, illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, larceny, and deceptive practices were the five most commonly reported offences, according to the Royal Bhutan Police’s overall half-year crime statistics for January to June 2026.
Domestic violence remained the most frequently reported offence during the first six months of 2026, with the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) recording 438 cases, an increase of 79 from the 359 cases reported during the same period in 2025.
It was followed by battery with 206 cases, larceny with 140, illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances with 116, and burglary with 103 cases.
Drug-related offences continued to pose a significant challenge. Of the 713 drug cases recorded, substance abuse alone accounted for 573 cases, representing more than 80 percent of all drug offences.
Police also recorded 126 cases involving the illegal sale of inhalants, 12 cases of illegal possession of controlled substances, and two trafficking cases.
The report also recorded 67 sexual offence cases, 46 cybercrime cases, 33 offences involving chortens and lhakhangs, and 157 cases involving children in conflict with the law. Another 529 cases fell under other criminal offences.
The statistics further show that 50 people died by suicide during the first half of the year. February recorded the highest monthly toll with 12 cases, followed by June with 10. March recorded eight cases, while January and April each recorded seven, and May recorded six.
Drug-related cases decline
Drug-related offences recorded a decline in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, with both registered cases and arrests decreasing. However, police records show a sharp rise in cannabis-related offences and seizures during the period.
According to the Royal Bhutan Police, 727 drug-related cases were reported between January and June 2026, down from 818 cases during the same period in 2025, representing an 11.1 percent decrease. The number of people arrested also declined from 1,583 to 1,373, a reduction of 13.3 percent.
Despite the overall decline, cannabis-related offences increased significantly. Cases involving the illicit trafficking of cannabis and its derivatives increased more than fourfold, rising from three cases in the first half of 2025 to 13 cases in 2026. Similarly, arrests linked to cannabis trafficking increased from five to 26, representing a 420 percent rise.
Illegal possession of cannabis and its derivatives also increased, with registered cases rising from three to 10, while arrests increased from five to 11 during the same period.
The increase in cannabis-related offences coincided with a sharp rise in cannabis seizures. Police seized 47,427.89 grams of cannabis in the first half of 2026, compared with 2,371.82 grams in 2025, an increase of nearly 20 times. Hashish seizures also more than doubled, increasing from 223 grams to 505.34 grams.
Meanwhile, seizures of other commonly abused substances declined. Brown sugar seizures dropped drastically from 29,061.05 grams to 80.17 grams, a decrease of 99.7 percent. Seizures of N10 tablets fell by 59.1 percent, from 1,476 tablets to 603 tablets, while Corex seizures declined by 77.7 percent, from 1,402.50ml to 313.37ml.
The largest category of drug-related offences, the substance abuse offences also declined. Arrests related to substance abuse fell from 1,348 in 2025 to 1,109 in 2026, a decrease of 17.7 percent, while registered cases dropped from 650 to 584, a decline of 10.2 percent.
The decline was reflected across most age groups. Arrests among individuals below 18 years decreased by 28 percent, from 164 to 118, while arrests among those aged between 18 and 25 years declined by 20.3 percent, from 675 to 538. Among those above 25 years, arrests dropped marginally by 3.6 percent, from 744 to 717.
Men continued to account for the majority of drug-related arrests, making up more than 90 percent of all arrests. Male arrests decreased from 1,484 to 1,286, while female arrests declined from 99 to 87.
According to the Deputy Chief of the Crime and Operations Department of the RBP, Colonel Passang Dorji, whole drug cases have declined so far.
“This reduction is mainly due to increased awareness across the 20 dzongkhags and strict enforcement measures. We have dedicated drug task forces in the western, southern and eastern regions, working specifically to crack down on drug-related offences,” he said.
Among police jurisdictions, South Thimphu Police Station recorded the highest number of criminal cases with 229, followed by Norbugang, in Samtse with 157, Samtse with 144, Gelephu with 110, and Panbang with 100.
Drug cases, however, were concentrated in a few locations. Pemagatshel Police Station reported the highest number with 249 cases, followed by Jomotshangkha with 194. Nganglam recorded 39 cases, Gedu 38, and Sakteng 35.
The monthly trend shows general crime remained relatively stable throughout the reporting period, ranging from 189 cases in February to a peak of 236 in May. Drug offences declined from 163 cases in January to 92 in April before rising again to 117 in June.