On November 7, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Arunachal Pradesh Police destroyed 458 acres of illicit cannabis cultivation. The operation targeted hidden farms identified through satellite mapping systems.
The destroyed cultivation was located in Arunachal Pradesh, where traffickers had attempted to conceal fields deep inside mountainous terrain. The action followed the first phase of the programme held in October.
During that October phase, 1.37 lakh kilograms of cannabis plants grown mainly on community lands were destroyed. The November operation built directly on those earlier efforts.
According to an official cited by IANS, the use of specialised imaging sensors helps in pinpointing these fields from space. The satellite mapping programme began after the Union Home Ministry gave its go-ahead.
The official said the modus operandi of the agencies has shifted from mere arrests and seizures, with equal emphasis on destroying sites that cultivate illicit cannabis and opium.
The NCB has been utilising satellite mapping systems to pinpoint high-altitude farms producing narcotics. Traffickers had tried to hide these fields deep inside the mountains to avoid tracking.
Data shows that with the latest action, the total area of cannabis destroyed across Arunachal Pradesh in 2026 has surged to more than eight times the figure for 2025.
Another official said that during high-level meetings between the agencies and top officials of the Home Ministry, it was decided to prepare the Vision Document (2026-2029).
That document mandates identifying cultivation hotspots and carrying out synchronised crop destruction operations. The operations form part of the government’s vision of a drug-free India by 2029.
Multiple agencies have been working to end the drug menace across India, with the NCB and state police busting narcotics modules nationwide.
Similar operations have been carried out in Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and other states in recent months. In Himachal Pradesh, tracking has focused on rugged and hard-to-reach valleys.
Coordinated efforts in Himachal Pradesh have led to the clearance of 592 acres of concealed illicit cannabis setups. The satellite-based approach has been applied across these regions.
The November 7 destruction in Arunachal Pradesh marks the latest completed action under the programme. The agencies are expected to continue hotspot identification under the Vision Document.
The NCB continues to combine seizures with the physical destruction of cultivation sites.
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