Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown, police and excise department officials have destroyed illegal opium poppy cultivation worth over Rs 1.5 crore in Koida area of Sundergarh district. The operation was carried out in Tantara village under K Balang police station, where opium was being cultivated in over an acre of land for the past four months.
A team of officials, including Koida Tehsildar Nirmal Biswal, police officers, and excise department officials, was present at the scene. One person has been detained and is being questioned. This is the third such operation in Koida area in a month, with authorities determined to curb the illicit trade.
The area has seen a shift from ganja cultivation to opium poppy cultivation, posing a new challenge for the authorities. In a similar operation last week, opium cultivation was destroyed in Taldihi area under K Balang police station. The joint operation has sent a strong message to those involved in the illicit trade.
