UKHRUL: A joint team comprising personnel from the Senapati Forest Division, police, CRPF, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and village volunteers from Khabung carried out an operation on Tuesday (January 6) to destroy illegal poppy cultivation in the Upper and Lower Khabung hill ranges, officials said.
During the operation, approximately 12.9 hectares of illicit poppy fields were destroyed. A temporary hut found at the site was also burned and dismantled. Officials said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the illegal cultivation.
The operation was undertaken as part of ongoing measures to curb the production and trafficking of narcotic drugs in the region. Authorities said illicit poppy cultivation poses a serious threat to public health and safety and remains a punishable offence under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
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Officials urged residents to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in eradicating illegal poppy cultivation and appealed to citizens to remain vigilant. They also requested the public to report any information related to illegal poppy farming to the nearest police station.