Poppy plants spread over 54 acres were destroyed in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district on Tuesday as the state police continued its drive against illicit poppy cultivation in the state.

Including today’s drive, the Manipur police has so far destroyed poppy plants to over 1804 acres during the current crop season, the state police claimed.

The Manipur police PRO said that poppy plants destroyed today were found cultivating at Molphai hill range under Machi police station of Tengnoupal district. A combined team of Tengnoupal district police, police commandos, NAB, 3rd IRB, and 2nd Manipur Rifles destroyed the poppy plants, he said. The team was led by superintendent of police (SP), Th Vikramjit Singh of Tengnoupal district and NAB SP, W Basu Singh, the PRO said.

So far, the police have destroyed 1804 acres of illegal poppy cultivation at various hill districts of Manipur, he said, while reminding that the destruction drive for the current crop season commenced from November last year.