Manipur: 72 Acres of Illegal Poppy Fields Destroyed; Opium Worth ₹1.75 Crore Neutralised
Imphal, November —
In one of the largest anti-narcotics operations of the year, a combined team of central and state security forces destroyed 72 acres of illegal poppy plantations across Manipur’s hill districts of Chandel, Tamenglong, and Kangpokpi on Saturday. These districts share borders with Assam and Nagaland to the north and Myanmar to the south, making them vulnerable zones for illicit cultivation.
According to the Manipur Police morning bulletin issued on Sunday, the crackdown forms part of the state’s intensified War on Drugs campaign. Authorities confirmed that no cultivators were found at the sites, and no individual has come forward to claim ownership.
50 Acres Cleared in Chandel District
The largest destruction took place at the Gobok hill range, located about 20 km east of Chakpikarong Police Station under Khengjoi Sub-Division in Chandel district.
Around 50 acres of poppy fields were cut down and burned. The seized and destroyed crops could have yielded approximately 250 kg of opium, valued at ₹1.75 crore, police said.
Four temporary huts used by cultivators were also demolished, while poppy pods and seeds were recovered from the site.
7 Acres Destroyed in Tamenglong District
In another operation, teams cleared seven acres of poppy cultivation at Thengjang and Lasan areas under Tamei Police Station in Tamenglong district, which borders Assam and Nagaland.
Four makeshift huts, four urea bags, and 107 packets of salt used in cultivation were destroyed.
15 Acres Cleared in Kangpokpi District
The final phase of Saturday’s operations targeted interior regions of Loibol Khullen village under New Keithelmanbi Police Station in Kangpokpi district, where 15 acres of illegal poppy fields were destroyed.
A hut, a sack of salt, and several cultivation tools were also burned.
Massive Combined Operation
Around 250 personnel from Manipur Police, Manipur Rifles, Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Forest Department, Narcotics and Border Affairs (NAB), and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) participated in the coordinated crackdown, conducted in the presence of executive magistrates.
Police have registered multiple FIRs, and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the cultivation.
The operation marks a significant escalation in the state’s ongoing effort to curb narcotics production and trafficking across Manipur’s remote hill regions.
