Manipur: 5 acres of illegal poppy cultivation destroyed in Tengnoupal

Security forces in Manipur's Tengnoupal destroyed 5 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in their ongoing crackdown against illegal drug supply chain.

On January 27, security forces destroyed approximately five acres of illegal poppy cultivation in the hill ranges of Machi under Machi Police Station in Tengnoupal district. The operation marked the latest phase of a broader, multi-agency campaign targeting narcotics networks operating across the state.

Earlier, a series of coordinated actions over two days exposed the scale and reach of drug trafficking in Manipur. On January 19, security personnel arrested a 65-year-old man, identified as Hriili Kaihrii, at the Phougakchao Ikhai Bazar checkpoint in Bishnupur district. Kaihrii, a resident of Mayangkhang Khunou in Kangpokpi district, was found in possession of eight soap cases containing suspected heroin powder weighing approximately 94 grams. The arrest was made under the jurisdiction of Phougakchao Ikhai Police Station.

A day earlier, on January 18, Manipur Police apprehended Md Ajmir Hussain, 39, from the Tengdongyan area under Sekmai Police Station in Imphal West district. Hussain, a resident of Chingdong Leikai in Jiribam district, was allegedly carrying 310 grams of heroin No. 4, a highly refined and potent form of the narcotic.

Simultaneously, authorities moved aggressively against the source of illegal narcotics production. On January 19, a joint team comprising security forces, the Forest Department, officials of the Narcotics Affairs Bureau and an executive magistrate conducted a large-scale poppy destruction drive at Dampi under Sangaikot Police Station in Churachandpur district.

During the operation, around 22 acres of poppy cultivation were uprooted and destroyed. Three temporary huts erected at the site were set ablaze, and 10 samples of poppy plants along with pods were seized as evidence for further investigation.

Officials stated that the back-to-back operations reflect a sharpened strategy to combat both trafficking and cultivation, with enforcement agencies focusing on disrupting the entire narcotics supply chain. Authorities reiterated that such drives will continue in a sustained manner to address the serious law-and-order, health and societal risks posed by the drug menace in Manipur.