Illegal Opium farm Unearthed in Sambalpur Dist; 10,000 Plants Seized & 3 Detained

Excise officials on Monday claimed to have unearthed illegal pium poppy plantation at Gopalpur village under Naktideula block in Sambalpur district was assessed to be worth Rs 70 lakh. Three persons were detained in connection with the case.

The cops seized processed opium worth around Rs 70 lakhs and destroyed more than 10,000 opium plants cultivated on a 40-decimal land.

According to Excise sources, the department has for the first time detected opium farming in the district.

Earlier, the department in its crackdown had destroyed ganja plantation several times in this part of the state.  Locals of the area also helped in this raid on the illegal poppy plantation. It I suspected that they grew it under the influence of people from neighboring Jharkhand.