Changwon Coast Guard Cracks Down on Illegal Opium Poppy Cultivation and Narcotics

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kang Sharon] The Changwon Maritime Police in Gyeongnam announced on the 5th that they will conduct a comprehensive crackdown on narcotics crimes from the 5th to July as the poppy flowering season and hemp harvesting season approach.

Poppy is a plant that serves as a raw material for narcotics and cannot be cultivated for any purpose, and hemp is also a narcotic plant that cannot be sown or cultivated without administrative permission.

However, in some areas, narcotic plants are cultivated in vegetable gardens or gardens for purposes such as ornamental use, herbicides, or livestock disease treatment.

The Maritime Police will focus on cracking down on illegal cultivation of narcotic plants in concealed places such as parks and farms around islands, remote areas, and fishing villages, as well as narcotics distribution, sales, and drug use offenders.

If caught cultivating, purchasing, or using poppy and hemp without narcotics handling qualifications or cultivation permits, offenders will be subject to imprisonment of up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won according to the Narcotics Control Act.

A Maritime Police official said, “We will strongly crack down to create a marine environment safe from drugs,” and urged, “Please report immediately if you suspect narcotics crimes such as illegal poppy cultivation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.