Poppy Captured by Drone... Cultivator Arrested by Police

Illegal Opium Poppy Cultivation Detected in Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam
Captured by Drone Patrol... Suspect is a Man in His 60s

In Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam, opium poppies that were being secretly cultivated were discovered during a drone patrol, prompting the police to launch an investigation.

Illegally cultivated poppies.
[Photo by National Police Agency YouTube]

On the 10th, the official YouTube channel of the National Police Agency uploaded a video titled "Shocking Object Caught by Police Drone." The video reported that the "Safe Dream 34 Drone Patrol Unit," operated by the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, discovered plants suspected to be opium poppies during a demonstration flight of a patrol drone on the 23rd of last month.

In the video, a large number of red poppies can be seen planted along the edge of a walking trail. Upon closer inspection, the flowers have large, distinct black spots inside, and the fruits are round in shape, characteristics that classify the plants as narcotic opium poppies. To the immediate left of the poppies is a roadway, and to the right, there are several greenhouses.

Illegally cultivated poppies.
[Photo by National Police Agency YouTube]

After confirming the presence of opium poppies via the drone, the police immediately dispatched officers to the scene and, upon verifying the plants as narcotic opium poppies, seized 30 plants. At the time, there were signs of illegal cultivation, such as wooden supports installed on the ground.

The suspect is a nearby farmer in his 60s, Mr. A. The police have booked Mr. A on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act and plan to investigate the exact circumstances. Kang Seong-woo, the head detective of the Crime Prevention Team at the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, stated, "The Gyeongnam Police Agency’s Safe Dream 324 Drone Patrol Unit will actively utilize drones in blind spots of public safety and build a dense social safety net so that residents and tourists can feel secure."

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