Govt seeks more info on ‘wanted drug dealers’

Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed the Bhutanese embassy in Bangkok to provide further information regarding the death of Bhutanese man and drug dealers linked to the death.

Thai police had recovered the body of 45-year old Bhutanese man identified as Ugyen Tshering from Bangkok’s Klong Ong Ang last week.

He is suspected to be a member of a drug-trafficking gang who travelled with six other including five Bhutanese and one Indian men alleged to be members of the gang.

Others members of the gang include Tandin Wangchuk, 35; Sonam Zam, 22; Dechen Dema, 30; Pema Khudu, 51; Kinzang, 32; and Manoj Kumar Daga, 37. Five of them are Bhutanese citizens, including two women, while the head of the gang is believed to be Daga, an Indian national.

They are now in the wanted list of the Bangkok police.

It is suspected that Tshering died of a drug overdose resulting from the method of packing his body with drugs – which is reportedly common among gangs moving illicit drugs from central Asia, Thai newspaper, The Nation quoted the Institute of Forensic Medicine.

The Institute of Forensic Medicine said he had ingested 58 balls of crystal methamphetamine, better known as “ice”, and one of the bags had burst inside him.

A video clip from CCTV at their hotel showed two Bhutanese men carrying one big and two small bags out of the building at 1am on April 1. Another outside camera showed them dumping the big bag into the canal before getting into a cab.

Foreign Minister Damcho Dorji said the embassy in Bangkok has been asked to submit a report.

The home ministry confirmed the report that Bhutanese were involved but details were not shared.