Assam Police destroys 10 bighas of Poppy (Opium) cultivation

February 7 : Officer-in-charge of South Salmara Police Station accompanied by  I/C BHN OP of Fakirganj Police Station and staff conducted a search operation and destroyed about 10 bighas of poppy cultivation in the area. On the basis of secret tip-off, Assam Police conducted the operation. Necessary legal action and follow up action is being initiated by the police and further investigation is on.

Opium is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum. Opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which is processed chemically to produce heroin for illegal drug trade. Heroin is derived from the morphine alkaloid found in opium. In India, the cultivation of opium in general is banned.

Legal cultivation of opium for medicinal purposes is carried out in India, only in selected areas, under free licensing conditions. India is the world’s largest manufacturer of legal opium for the pharmaceutical industry according to the CIA World Factbook. Each year the Central Government notifies the selected tracts where such cultivation will be permitted, and the general conditions for eligibility of the licence. The essential condition for issue of licence is, fulfillment of minimum qualifying yield (MQY) criterion, specified in number of kilograms per hectare. The licence among other conditions, specifies the maximum area in which the opium crop can be sown.