Imphal: Manipur security forces have destroyed 119 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in Ukhrul district during a major anti-narcotics operation carried out on December 18, officials said. The action is part of the state government’s intensified campaign to curb drug production and dismantle networks operating in the hill regions.
The operation was conducted in the LM Block, Yaolen Chepu and Lamlai Chingphei areas of Ukhrul district, where large stretches of land were found under poppy cultivation. Security personnel cleared the fields and destroyed the standing crop after proper identification of the illegal plantations.
During the operation, 24 huts located at the plantation sites were also burnt down. Officials said these temporary structures were likely being used by cultivators and labourers engaged in the illegal farming of poppy. No casualties were reported during the drive.
The December 18 action followed a similar coordinated operation a day earlier. On December 17, Manipur security forces, working jointly with the Ukhrul district Forest Department, identified and destroyed around 140 acres of poppy fields in the same areas. During that operation, 16 makeshift huts were set on fire as part of the clearance process.
Officials said the back-to-back operations underline the state’s sustained efforts to crack down on illegal poppy cultivation, which has been a growing concern in Manipur’s hill districts. The cultivation of poppy is closely linked to the production of narcotic substances and is considered a major threat to public health, law and order, and regional security.
“The aim of these drives is not only to destroy illegal crops but also to break the supply chain and discourage people from engaging in such activities,” an official involved in the operation said.
Authorities have reiterated that similar operations will continue in other vulnerable areas based on intelligence inputs and ground assessments. The state government has also appealed to local communities to cooperate with enforcement agencies and avoid involvement in illegal drug cultivation.
Security forces remain on alert in the region to prevent fresh attempts at poppy farming, especially in remote and forested areas that are often used to evade detection.