POPPY PLANTATION WORTH 18 CRORE DESTROYED IN MANIPUR

Guwahati, March 2, 2018:

Police raided a hill range of Waichei village in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district and destroyed illegal poppy cultivations. Plants spread over 25 acres which would produce opium worth about 18 crores were destroyed in the crackdown by a joint team led by superintendent of Narcotic Affairs Border (NAB) Manipur. The joint team of NAB, Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) Imphal East was assisted by troops of 38 Assam Rifles, armed personnel of 1st Manipur Rifles, state police commandos on refresher course at Manipur Police Training College (MPTC) Pangei.

Representatives of state forest department and horticulture departments took part in carrying out the destruction drive of illicit poppy cultivation in the hill range of Waichei village. The destruction of illicit cultivation of poppy plants was part of ongoing Manipur government’s ongoing campaign “War on drug”. Opium latex is derived from poppy seedpods, which is later used to make heroin.