Agartala, Feb 2: Security forces in Tripura have dealt a major blow to illegal drug cultivation by destroying more than five lakh cannabis plants in a massive operation in Sepahijala district, officials said. The destroyed crop is estimated to be worth around Rs 75 crore, making it one of the largest crackdowns on illicit ganja cultivation in the state in recent times.
The large-scale joint operation was conducted on February 1 in the Dulunga forest area under Sonamura subdivision after security agencies received specific intelligence about extensive cannabis plantations. The drive continued for nearly eight hours, beginning at 8.30 am and concluding around 4.30 pm. During the operation, security personnel identified 92 separate cultivation sites spread across approximately 170 acres of forest land, all of which were cleared and the plants destroyed on the spot.
The coordinated action involved teams from Sonamura Police Station, the Sepahijala District Armed Police, multiple battalions of the Border Security Force, the Tripura State Rifles, the Sonamura Forest Division and other allied agencies. Senior officials said the operation reflected heightened vigilance against the misuse of forest land for narcotics cultivation and reiterated that similar drives would continue across vulnerable areas.
Authorities have launched investigations to identify individuals and networks behind the illegal plantations, while stressing that sustained enforcement is essential to curb drug trafficking and protect forest resources.
The February 1 operation followed another major crackdown carried out on January 29 in the same subdivision. In that earlier drive, security forces destroyed cannabis crops spread over nearly 65 acres of forest land in Kamalanagar, Krishnadola, Dulunga and Bijoy Nagar areas. That nine-hour operation led to the destruction of around 1.80 lakh mature cannabis plants across 41 plots, with the crop valued at approximately Rs 27 crore.
The January operation involved personnel from Sonamura Police Station, the 81 Battalion of the BSF, several battalions of the Tripura State Rifles including a women’s unit, the 35 Battalion of the Assam Rifles and other security agencies. Officials said the successive operations underline the state’s intensified push against illegal cannabis cultivation and its determination to dismantle drug supply chains operating from forested regions.
