📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sahriar ahmed tasvir
Crime
Manipur authorities detect 307 hectares of poppy cultivation in forest areas
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 09 Oct 2026, 04:16 PM
👁 15
Manipur officials have mapped 307 hectares of illicit poppy cultivation spread across forested zones, according to India Today NE.
Manipur's forest department, in coordination with law enforcement agencies, has identified 307 hectares of poppy cultivation hidden within its forest tracts. The survey, conducted using satellite imagery and ground verification, revealed that the illicit farms are scattered across several remote pockets, complicating eradication efforts.
Officials said the poppy fields are being cultivated for the production of opium, a substance prohibited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The discovery underscores a growing concern about drug-related activities in the northeastern region, prompting calls for intensified monitoring and swift action.
The state government has pledged to launch a comprehensive eradication drive, involving the removal of the crops, seizure of equipment, and legal action against those involved. Authorities also plan to strengthen community awareness programs to deter locals from participating in such illegal cultivation.
While the exact number of individuals linked to the farms remains under investigation, the identification of such a large area signals a significant challenge for law‑enforcement agencies tasked with curbing narcotics production in the region.
Officials said the poppy fields are being cultivated for the production of opium, a substance prohibited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The discovery underscores a growing concern about drug-related activities in the northeastern region, prompting calls for intensified monitoring and swift action.
The state government has pledged to launch a comprehensive eradication drive, involving the removal of the crops, seizure of equipment, and legal action against those involved. Authorities also plan to strengthen community awareness programs to deter locals from participating in such illegal cultivation.
While the exact number of individuals linked to the farms remains under investigation, the identification of such a large area signals a significant challenge for law‑enforcement agencies tasked with curbing narcotics production in the region.