Poppy crop confiscated in Kolhapur district

The police on Tuesday morning confiscated poppy cultivation in Shivare village of Shahuwadi taluka. This the first raid on illicit poppy cultivation in Kolhapur district.

Earlier, poppy crops have been raided in Beed, Sangli, Satara and Pune districts. The superintendent of police, Vijaysinh Jadhav, announced the raid in a news conference. 

The farmer, Shivaji Patil, has been arrested for the alleged poppy cultivation. Jadhav said the seized poppy straws weigh 103 kg and worth Rs2.06 lakh.  The police had received a tip-off about opium cultivation as an intercrop between cane and maze on Patil’s 7 guntha land.

The police on Monday night searched the plot and found the poppy cultivation. A police force was also deployed on the farm to prevent destruction of the crop by the farmer. Jadhav said an inquiry was being conducted to locate buyers of poppy and seed suppliers.