Poppy, cannabis smugglers shall face up to 20-year jail term, Rs 2 lakh fine in Manipur

Imphal: Superintendent of Police, Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB), W Basu has informed that any individual found carrying or smuggling poppy with a quantity above 50 kg could be either jailed for 20 years or shall pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh or both.

He also cautioned "No person can cultivate poppy or cannabis under the Act" under the ND&PS Act 1985, Basu said in an awareness video clip titled "Awareness Against Illicit Poppy/ Cannabis cultivation and Penal Provision under ND and PS Act 1985".

Wanthan Basu Singh said punishments for poppy smuggling are categorised into three, based on the quantity of poppy smuggled.

Under section 15 of the Act, if anyone is found carrying or smuggling poppy up to a quantity of one kg then under the Act the person could be either jailed for one year or pay fine of Rs 10,000 or both.

He stated if a person is found carrying or smuggling poppy with a quantity from one kilogram to 50 kilogram then under the said Act the person could be either jailed for 10 years or pay fine of Rs one lakh or both.

In order to make a poppy and cannabis free state, people need to give cooperation to state police department and Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB), Basu said and sought cooperation from the people in the 'war against drugs'.

While in the video clip, he added that mass cultivation of poppy and cannabis are taking place in various hill areas.

He further added that last year, the NAB destroyed six drug manufacturing laboratories, expressing concern that Manipur is becoming a hotspot for drug smuggling in the northeastern region.

He pointed out that the farmers used common salt, fertilisers, pesticides in large scale for a better yield for poppy and cannabis and this has affected soil quality of some hill areas.

He also warned that under section 18 of ND and PS Act 1985, if an individual is found carrying or smuggling upto 100 gram of opium, the person could be either jailed for one year or pay fine of Rs 10,000 or both.

The SP also reported that land owner who allows cultivation of poppy and cannabis will be jailed for six months under ND and PS Act 1985 section 46.

It is to be mentioned that the story of narcotics in Northeast India started around 1983 when heroin, a deadly derivative of morphine, started making an entry in the society, particularly Manipur. 

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