Security forces in Manipur have destroyed nearly 18 acres of illegal poppy cultivation spread across Churachandpur and Tengnoupal districts, officials confirmed on Saturday. The coordinated crackdown was carried out jointly by district police, Assam Rifles personnel, forest officials and narcotics units as part of the State’s intensified anti-drug drive.
In Churachandpur district, around 8 acres of poppy fields were destroyed in the D. Lhangjol area under Sangaikot Police Station. Authorities estimate that the destroyed crop could have produced several kilograms of processed narcotics. In Tengnoupal district, another 10 acres were cleared in the Machi hill range, where security teams uprooted mature plants believed to be ready for harvesting.
The State government had earlier issued repeated warnings against those involved in widespread poppy plantation, highlighting environmental destruction, forest loss and its link with cross-border narcotics trafficking networks. Officials say poppy farming has expanded into remote hill terrains, making it difficult to detect and dismantle without coordinated operations.
Over the past several years, large swathes of illegal cultivation have emerged across Manipur’s hill districts, prompting concerns that the narcotics economy is fuelling organised crime, insurgent financing, and cross-border smuggling routes extending into Myanmar. The government says sustained operations will continue through the winter harvesting season.
Local civil bodies and anti-drug groups have welcomed the latest action, calling it a major step in curbing organised opium cultivation. However, activists have urged authorities to ensure follow-up arrests, dismantle supply chains and provide alternative livelihood options to villagers who rely on poppy growing for income.
Officials stated that the government remains committed to a “war on drugs” approach and will continue surveillance to prevent re-cultivation in the cleared areas.
