Imphal, Feb 21: Security forces, in coordination with the Forest Department, destroyed 30 acres of illicit poppy plantation across two districts of Manipur during a coordinated two-day operation carried out under legal supervision.
On February 20, joint teams comprising security personnel and Forest officials eradicated 20 acres of illegal poppy fields in the Mongken area under Henglep Police Station in Churachandpur district. The operation was conducted in the presence of an Executive Magistrate to ensure compliance with legal procedures. Officials said the drive formed part of intensified efforts to dismantle unlawful opium cultivation in vulnerable hill regions.
A day earlier, on February 19, a similar operation was undertaken in the Kangjang Hill Range under Mao Police Station in Senapati district, where 10 acres of poppy plantation were destroyed. During the action, three makeshift huts located within the cultivation sites were also demolished.
Authorities stated that the back-to-back operations were part of a broader strategy to curb narcotics production and disrupt supply chains linked to illegal poppy cultivation in the state’s hill districts.
Security agencies have reiterated their commitment to strengthening surveillance and enforcement measures to prevent the resurgence of illicit cultivation in remote and forested areas of Manipur.
