10 acres of illegal poppy cultivation destroyed in Manipur’s Churachandpur

A joint team of security forces and the Forest Department, backed by the district administration, destroyed approximately 10 acres of illicit poppy plantations in the Suangkong hill range of Manipur’s Churachandpur district on January 16, officials said.

The operation was carried out in the Behiang police station area under the supervision of an Executive Magistrate, highlighting the administration’s intensified drive to curb drug cultivation and dismantle the supply chain linked to the illegal narcotics trade. During the coordinated operation, authorities also seized and destroyed materials used for poppy farming, including salt, urea, spraying equipment and other cultivation tools found at the site.

Officials stated that the action forms part of a sustained enforcement strategy against poppy cultivation in remote and forested hill regions, which have emerged as key zones for illegal drug production. The destruction of the plantations, they added, sends a strong deterrent message to those involved in narcotics-related activities.

The administration reiterated its commitment to continue such operations in coordination with multiple agencies to safeguard forest land, restore ecological balance, and prevent the proliferation of drug networks that pose a serious threat to public health and national security.