In a massive blow to the local narcotics trade, the Excise Department destroyed illegal opium crops valued at ₹25 crore in Deogarh district today. Acting on a tip-off, officials raided five government plots spanning two acres near the Baunshayora Nal in Kadopada village.
Under the leadership of Excise Officer Basanti Prabha Nayak and in the presence of Executive Magistrate Prem Prakash Haro, over 50,000 opium plants were uprooted and set ablaze. Investigations revealed that while the crop was hidden deep within the forest, it had already been harvested multiple times before the intervention.
"The estimated market value of the seized plantation is staggering," noted the Deogarh Excise Officer.
As the cultivation occurred on state land, authorities have launched a high-level probe to identify the kingpins behind this sophisticated operation.
This raid marks one of the largest drug-related crackdowns in the region’s recent history.