Manipur police destroy 35 acres of illegal poppy fields in sustained anti-drug drive

Security forces in Manipur have demolished poppy plantations spanning 35 acres across Songlung village and nearby Lhangjol and Waphong areas in Kangpokpi district during two separate operations this month.

The latest raid, conducted on November 8, targeted approximately five acres of illegal cultivation in the region under Kangchup Police Station jurisdiction.

Officers seized eight empty cartridges, three fertiliser bags, and poppy seeds discovered near three burnt huts at the cultivation site.

The operation follows a larger crackdown on November 2, when security forces destroyed 30 acres of poppy plantations in the same villages as part of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, the government's nationwide anti-narcotics campaign.

During that raid, personnel dismantled three farm huts and confiscated three fertiliser bags and two sacks of salt. Two burnt Gypsy vehicles were also recovered from the location.

Officials have praised security personnel for their sustained efforts in tackling the illicit trade, which poses a serious threat to public health and youth welfare in the region.