A major anti-narcotics operation in Manipur has led to the destruction of 67 acres of illicit poppy cultivation across Kangpokpi district, dealing a significant setback to drug production networks operating in the hill region.
The coordinated two-day drive, conducted on December 5 and 6, involved teams from the security forces, the Narcotics Control Bureau and the Forest Department. Officials targeted plantation sites scattered across the hill ranges of Makui Ashang, Laloi, Wakotphai, Chaljang and adjoining areas under the jurisdiction of Kangpokpi Police Station.
As part of the operation, officers dismantled 38 makeshift huts used by cultivators and seized a large quantity of agricultural materials. These included 44 bags of fertilisers, 43 bottles of Roundup herbicide, 26 bags of salt, several spray pumps and pipes, all of which were destroyed at the site. Manipur Police said the action formed part of an intensified effort to curb illegal narcotics cultivation in remote hill pockets.
The crackdown drew praise from former chief minister N Biren Singh, who congratulated Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the state government for taking firm steps against poppy cultivation. Singh noted that the effort aligned with the central government’s ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ initiative, emphasising the need for Manipur to continue contributing to the nationwide campaign against drugs.
In a post on X, Singh urged authorities to sustain pressure on narcotics networks and continue similar operations across vulnerable regions to ensure that no area becomes a safe zone for illegal cultivation.
The latest offensive is among the most extensive poppy-eradication drives in recent months, underscoring the state’s renewed push to dismantle the drug economy entrenched in parts of Manipur’s hill districts. Authorities have indicated that more coordinated actions will follow as part of the ongoing crackdown.
