Manipur destroys 4 acres of illicit poppy cultivation in Churachandpur

Imphal: In a continued effort to combat the drug trade, authorities in Manipur destroyed four acres of illicit poppy crops in Churachandpur district, which borders Myanmar, ahead of the harvesting season.

The operation took place on Wednesday in the Haopi Mollen hill range, under the supervision of an Executive Magistrate.

A joint team consisting of Manipur Police, 37 Assam Rifles, Forest Department, and the Executive Magistrate conducted the destruction, acting on intelligence inputs. They seized 10 poppy pods during the operation.

Although no arrests were made, an FIR has been filed, and efforts are underway to identify the cultivators.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh expressed support for the operation on social media, stating that the destroyed poppy fields could have yielded approximately 12 kg of opium. He emphasized the importance of such actions in the state's "War on Drugs."

The operation also involved spraying “Roundup Herbicides” on remaining poppy plants. Since 2017, the state government has destroyed around 15,500 acres of illegal poppy fields across various districts.