Imphal, Feb 13 : Fertile soil, vast economic disparity and availability of cheap labor in the remote hilly areas of Manipur are being cited as some important factors for wealthy but unscrupulous elements exploiting the conditions to reap poppy harvest for producing heroin for the notorious Golden Triangle.
With reports about scything of poppy plants by both law enforcing agencies and NGO activists at remote corners of the State that share boundaries with the neighboring Myanmar, being regular news item in the recent past, there had been apprehension of whether the plantation are limited to opium production for local use.
However, a top ranking official of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) speaking to this reporter on condition of anonymity disclosed that poppy produce from Manipur's interior areas have direct link with drug/heroin manufacturing units in the Golden Triangle. 
According to the official, NCB received specific information that the crude produce of poppy grown in Manipur are being smuggled out to Golden Triangle through the porous Indo-Myanmar border.
The Golden Triangle is located in the hilly terrains of the southeast Asian countries namely Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, and is considered to be one of the largest heroin producing zone of the world.
Of late Government's anti-drug units along with security force personnel and NGOs such as the AMADA had been reaching out to people living in the hills of Manipur, particularly at areas close to the neighboring Myanmar to prevail upon them against nurturing poppy plantation.
These agencies/NGOs apart from hacking down large poppy crops have been spreading awareness on the harmful effects of opium and heroin.
Apart from local elements, drug mafias from foreign countries such as China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal are said to not only have contacts in many remote villages where poppy cultivation are being taken up on a massive scale, but are also investing huge amounts.
Providing more inputs on the modus operandi of these drug mafias and their relationships with poppy planters here in the State, an informed source said either the investors themselves or their representatives foray into the cultivation sites, on many occasion posing as tourists to keep their nefarious activities under wrap.
Soil texture and weather conditions of Manipur is said to be very suitable in the cultivation of high yielding poppy varieties as well as Ganja, with the latter narcotic plant well known both within and outside the State.
As a part of the campaign to ensure that Manipur do not turn into a haven for drug smugglers/producers destruction of poppy plants were carried out at Nongmaiching (Baruni hill range), Ukhrul and Churachandpur.
While plantation sites in Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts are mostly at inaccessible areas laying close to the Myanmar border, the Baruni hill range in spite of its location within Senapati district, is at the periphery of Imphal East district.
in continuation of the poppy destruction programme, personnel of the NCB, Customs, Assam Rifles and State's Narcotics and Affairs of border (NAB) along with civil police under the initiave of the NCB's Regional Director reportedly cut down poppy plants cultivated at about 50-100 acres of land in the interior areas of Churachandpur district today.
even though the specific programme has been called off after the day-long campaign, the same will resume in about a week's time, an NCB source maintained.
Under section 48 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act, the NCB is informed to be empowered to attach and destroy illegal cultivation of poppy plants among other narcotic substances.
“It is just a matter of an hour or two from the cultivation site to cross the border from where the yield/consignment could reach clandestine laboratories in Golden Triangle where heroin are manufactured with different brand names – Tiger and Cobra,” the NCB source said adding that government agencies are put on high alert to curb these illicit activities.
The value of heroin per kilogram in the local market is put in the range of Rs 10 lakh whereas the same quantity could fetch up to Rs 1 crore in the international market.
It may be recounted that on February 11, volunteers of All Manipur Anti Drug Association (Amada) destroyed poppy plants in a Ukhrul district area in collaboration with local villagers.
As recent as on January 19, personnel of NAB, a unit under Manipur Police department, hacked down all the poppy plants grown some many areas of Baruni hill range.
“We are trying our best to destroy such illegal cultivation of poppy plants in the state and we have also pulled up some growers,” said NAB superintendent of police S Amirlal Sharma.
Drug analysts say the poppy cultivators in Manipur fetch around Rs 30,000 from about 400 square meters of cultivation from which one kilogram of the poppy fluids (opium) could be extracted from the seeds.
The Amada has also begun a massive campaign to convince poppy planters switch over to alternative cultivation like cereals and vegetable under its objective of sustained campaign to prevent the younger generation from being caught in the drug web.
The Sangai Express
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