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Authorities Destroy 15 Hectares of Opium Poppy Fields in Luang Namtha

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Officials in Viengphoukha district, Luang Namtha, destroyed 15 hectares of opium poppies across 33 plots of land. The operation, conducted from 7-8 January, targeted fields in Namvang, Namon, and Namkheuang villages.

Using wooden sticks, authorities smashed the poppy plants, while younger plants were uprooted to stop regrowth. Thuangxay Duangmala, Deputy Director of the Public Security Department, confirmed that the landowner was arrested, issued a warning by police, and the incident formally recorded.

The operation involved officials from the provincial Narcotics Inspection and Control Department, alongside soldiers from the National Defence and Security Force.

In a similar case, in 2024, authorities cleared 15 hectares of opium poppies from 47 plots of land. Despite a nationwide ban on opium cultivation, the crop is still grown illegally, particularly in northern Laos.

Opium, a dangerous stimulant used in heroin production, poses severe addiction risks. Its cultivation is illegal under Lao law. The government has made combating drug production, use, and trafficking a national priority, urging citizens to help eliminate this ongoing issue.

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