Illicit Poppy Plantation Destroyed in Manipur's Churachandpur

Imphal: A joint team comprising Manipur Police, the Forest Department and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), assisted by an Executive Magistrate, destroyed a large swathe of illicit poppy cultivation in Churachandpur district on December 30.

According to police, the operation was carried out in the Mongken area of the Thangjing hill range under Henglep sub-division, where around 40 acres of illegally cultivated poppy fields were identified and cleared.

During the operation, six poppy pods were also recovered from the site.

"On 30.12.2025, a combined team of Manipur Police, Forest department, CRPF, along with Executive Magistrate destroyed 40 acres of illicit poppy cultivation in Mongken area in Thangjing hill range, Henglep Sub-Division, Churachandpur district. 6 poppy pods were seized from the spot," Manipur Police wrote on X.

The action forms part of the ongoing drive by the state authorities to curb illegal poppy cultivation and drug-related activities in hill areas.

Earlier this month, Manipur Police carried out a large operation against illegal poppy cultivation in the hill areas of the state, destroying around 67 acres of crop. The drive was conducted over two days in coordination with security forces, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Forest Department.

Police said the operation covered several hill locations including Makui Ashang, Laloi, Wakotphai, Chaljang and nearby areas under the jurisdiction of Kangpokpi Police Station. During the exercise, teams came across a number of temporary huts used by cultivators. A total of 38 such huts were dismantled at the sites.

Officials also recovered a quantity of materials used for poppy cultivation. These included 44 bags of fertilisers, 43 bottles of Roundup weedicide, 26 bags of salt, along with spray pumps, pipes and other farming equipment. All the seized items were destroyed at the location, according to police.

Former chief minister N Biren Singh welcomed the action taken by the authorities.

In a post on X, he praised the joint teams involving the Narcotics Bureau, Kangpokpi Forest Division, district police and CRPF personnel for the operation carried out in the Laloi hill range and surrounding areas.

He said the destruction of poppy cultivation over such a large area was an important step and stressed that efforts like these help prevent Manipur from becoming a route for the drug trade to spread beyond the state.

Police said the drive is in line with the Centre’s ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ campaign and that similar operations will continue in identified areas.

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