Poppy cultivation on over 27,000 acres destroyed, 1,062 arrested in Jharkhand in FY’25: Official

Ranchi: Illegal poppy cultivation on 27,015 acres of land has been destroyed in Jharkhand and 1,062 people have been arrested in this regard in the financial year 2024-25, an official said on Tuesday. Six times more poppy crops were destroyed in 2024-25 as compared to the previous fiscal, he said.

Illegal poppy crops on 4,860 acres of land were destroyed and 773 people arrested in 2023-24, according to data presented during the fifth state-level committee meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) headed by Chief Secretary Alka Tiwary.

The chief secretary directed the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to closely monitor the production, distribution, and consumption of drugs and take strict action against the elements involved in its illegal trade.

Expressing concern over the sale of narcotic medicines and syrups in pharmacies, she called for the identification of such shops to take strict action against them.

She also directed the officials concerned that a list of licensed pharmacies be provided to the home secretary to ensure action against the unlicensed ones.