Naju-si Conducts Intensive Crackdown on Illegal Poppy Cultivation

Naju City in Jeollanam-do has launched a large-scale crackdown ahead of the opium poppy harvest season, a representative narcotic.

On the 13th, the city announced that it recently conducted a joint crackdown with the Naju Police Station focusing on illegal cultivation of opium poppies during their flowering period.

The intensive crackdown involved three narcotics monitors from the Naju City Public Health Center and four police officers.

Drug prevention education scene in Naju City.
Photo by Naju City

The task force confiscated 54 opium poppy plants from four locations including home gardens and vinyl greenhouses while patrolling the Sanpo-myeon and Gongsan-myeon areas.

For large-scale cultivators or those involved in manufacturing, distribution, and sales, arrest and investigation will be the principle. However, for minor illegal cultivation cases involving fewer than 50 plants and no prior offenses, summary judgment or leniency measures will be applied.

Surveillance of institutions handling narcotics has also been strengthened.

The city is thoroughly monitoring the illegal outflow of medical narcotics by comparing and verifying the narcotics handling reports from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety with actual inventory at 111 locations including hospitals and clinics (including veterinary hospitals) and pharmacies that handle narcotics.

Since last month, the city has been promoting education on the prevention of narcotics misuse and abuse targeting the general public from youth to the elderly.

To block students’ curiosity about drugs at the source and inform them of addiction risks, experts have been invited to conduct school visit education programs.

So far, education has been provided to 696 students across 10 elementary, middle, and high schools starting with Naju High School, and the program is scheduled to tour 28 schools and senior welfare centers by September.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “Some narcotics are disguised as ‘diet pills’ or ‘study-enhancing drugs’ and are infiltrating daily life,” adding, “We will greatly expand education and campaigns to improve awareness for a narcotics-free city, Naju.”

Naju = Kim Yuk-bong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr

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