The police is now on the lookout for people to whom farmers in Prayagraj were selling illegally grown opium.
No farmer has been issued a licence in Prayagraj district to grow opium.
In three separate raids, opium plants and fruits worth ₹2.30 crore had been seized by the police in a week in Prayagraj. The police are also searching for more such fields where farmers are cultivating opium in the district.
Teams have been formed to trace illegal opium cultivation in the district and the police will take the help of locals, village watchmen, revenue department staff to get information about illegal opium cultivation. It is possible that farmers in far off and remote rural areas may also be involved in cultivation of opium illegally. Police teams will also patrol remote areas in the trans-Ganga and trans-Yamuna areas to check if opium plants were being grown by farmers illegally. Besides opium, police will also check for illegal cultivation of marijuana.
Police officials further said that questioning of two farmers involved in illegal cultivation of opium in the trans-Ganga Naunra village and trans-Yamuna Amreha village has revealed that they were in contact with some suppliers.
The opium was sold to them, and they used to sell the contraband to dealers ahead. However, the farmer caught in trans-Ganga Rehtu village of Utraon, claimed that he had grown opium for the first time and was not in contact with any dealer
Officials said that there is a long chain of opium supply. After purchasing opium from farmers, it is forwarded to other dealers and then it is processed for manufacturing drugs etc . The cost of opium increases each time it is forwarded and smuggled to another person.
ACP (Handia) Pankaj Lavania said efforts were on to trace people involved in the purchase of opium. Police have received some clues and efforts were on to identify such persons, he added.
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