Sundargarh: Sundargarh police and excise officials jointly destroyed illegal opium poppy cultivation valued at nearly Rs 42 lakh in Koida area of Sundargarh district.
As per reports, the cultivation was spread across approximately 3 acres of forest land near Gurundia. It took five hours for the Excise officials to destroy 42,000 opium poppy trees.
Excise officials carried out the drive with the help of two platoons of police.
Police suspect the involvement of opium mafias from other states, who allegedly lured local residents with monetary incentives to cultivate opium.
