Security forces in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district have undertaken significant action against illegal poppy cultivation, destroying approximately five acres of fields in an operation conducted on January 27 in the hill ranges of Machi. This initiative is part of a broader, multi-agency effort aimed at dismantling narcotics networks throughout the state.
The crackdown has been highlighted by a series of prior operations that underscore the extensive drug trafficking issues in Manipur. Notably, on January 19, authorities apprehended 65-year-old Hriili Kaihrii at the Phougakchao Ikhai Bazar checkpoint in Bishnupur district, where he was found in possession of eight soap cases containing about 94 grams of suspected heroin powder. Similarly, the same day, Manipur Police arrested 39-year-old Md Ajmir Hussain in the Tengdongyan area under Sekmai Police Station, who was carrying 310 grams of heroin No. 4, a refined variation of the drug.
In a concerted effort to target marijuana production at its source, a joint team comprising security forces and representatives from the Forest Department and the Narcotics Affairs Bureau, led by an executive magistrate, executed a large-scale operation on January 19 at Dampi under Sangaikot Police Station in Churachandpur district. This operation resulted in the destruction of around 22 acres of poppy cultivation, the incineration of three temporary huts at the site, and the seizure of 10 samples of poppy plants and pods for further investigation.
Officials have indicated that these consecutive operations represent a more robust strategy to combat both the cultivation and trafficking of drugs, with various agencies collaborating to dismantle the entire narcotics supply chain. The authorities stressed the importance of such initiatives in addressing the profound law-and-order challenges, as well as the health and social crises attributable to drug abuse in Manipur. These drives are expected to persist as part of ongoing efforts to secure the region from the threats posed by narcotic substances.