Manipur: 30 acres of illegal poppy cultivation destroyed in two-day crackdown across two hill districts

Security forces in coordination with the Forest Department destroyed 30 acres of poppy plantation across two districts of Manipur in a coordinated two-day operation carried out under strict legal supervision.

On February 20, joint teams comprising security personnel and Forest officials, in the presence of an Executive Magistrate, eradicated 20 acres of illicit poppy fields in the Mongken area under Henglep Police Station in Churachandpur district. The destruction was part of an intensified drive aimed at dismantling illegal opium cultivation in vulnerable hill regions.

A day earlier, on February 19, a similar operation was conducted in the Kangjang Hill Range under Mao Police Station in Senapati district, where 10 acres of poppy plantation were destroyed. During the operation, three makeshift huts located within the cultivation sites were also demolished.

Officials stated that the presence of Executive Magistrates ensured adherence to due legal procedures during the eradication process. The back-to-back operations form part of a broader strategy to curb narcotics production and disrupt the supply chains linked to illegal poppy cultivation in the state’s hill districts.

Authorities have reiterated their commitment to intensifying surveillance and enforcement actions to prevent the resurgence of illicit cultivation activities in remote forested areas.