FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Thirty-one farmers have been arrested for cultivating opium poppies on their lands in northeastern Badakhshan province, security officials said on Sunday.
Shafiqullah Hafizi, counter-narcotics director said the growers had been arrested in different parts of Yaftal Payan, Argo and seventh district of Faizabad, the provincial capital.
Earlier, all farmers had been informed of the measures taken against and the ban on the drug cultivation and trafficking by the counter-narcotics committee.
However, the farmers disregarded orders and warnings from the government and continued to grow poppies. As a result, they were detained, Hafizi added.
The detainees were taken to the counter-narcotics department before being referred to the primary court for further interrogation.
He said the counter-narcotics police had been deployed to all districts of the province to prevent the cultivation of the illicit crop.
The official affirmed the government’s firm will to take legal action against the farmers who violated the ban on poppy cultivation.
aw/mud
