MP Police seize cannabis plants worth ₹5.89 crore in Neemuch, Dhar raids
Synopsis
Madhya Pradesh Police used drone surveillance and simultaneous multi-team raids to bust illegal cannabis cultivation across eight fields in Neemuch and Dhar, seizing over 52,000 plants worth ₹5.89 crore. The operation, backed by a direct CM-level directive, signals an escalating state-wide anti-narcotics push in the historically sensitive Malwa-Nimar belt.
Key Takeaways
Madhya Pradesh Police seized more than 52,000 cannabis plants weighing over 34 quintals , valued at ₹5.89 crore , from eight fields in Neemuch and Dhar districts.
In Neemuch , drone surveillance on 16 October led to the recovery of 51,000 plants worth ₹2.79 crore ; four NDPS cases were registered.
Operation 'Prahaar' in Dhar recovered 1,223 plants worth ₹2.43 crore on 16 October and 586 plants worth ₹66.99 lakh on 17 October .
A total of eight NDPS Act cases have been registered against landowners, illegal occupants, and accused individuals.
The drive follows directives from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and DGP Kailash Makwana , who said enforcement will intensify further.
Madhya Pradesh Police on Sunday, 19 October carried out a sweeping crackdown on illegal cannabis cultivation, uprooting plants from eight fields across Neemuch and Dhar districts. In total, more than 52,000 green cannabis plants weighing over 34 quintals — with an estimated street value of ₹5.89 crore — were seized, and eight cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Operation in Neemuch District
In Neemuch, four joint teams drawn from Kukdeshwar, Manasa, and Rampura police stations conducted aerial surveillance using drones on 16 October, under the supervision of Superintendent of Police Rajesh Vyas. The drone-assisted reconnaissance was followed by intensive ground searches that uncovered cannabis cultivation hidden behind high stone fencing and camouflaged within maize crops across four separate fields.
Police recovered 51,000 green cannabis plants weighing 27.95 quintals, valued at approximately ₹2.79 crore. Four cases have been registered against landowners and illegal occupants under the NDPS Act, according to a police statement.
Operation 'Prahaar' Targets Dhar
In Dhar district, joint teams acting under Operation 'Prahaar' — led by Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma — acted on a tip-off on 16 October. Three teams from Manawar police station simultaneously raided multiple fields in village Boharla under the Umraban outpost, uncovering 1,223 green cannabis plants weighing 1,621.98 kg, grown inconspicuously between cotton and tur crops. The seized haul is valued at approximately ₹2.43 crore, and three cases have been registered under the NDPS Act.
A follow-up raid on 17 October by teams from Bag police station and Dehri outpost targeted a field in Bakalyapura of village Kaneri. Officers seized 586 green cannabis plants weighing 446.6 kg, hidden among cotton crops, valued at ₹66.99 lakh. A case has been registered against the accused at Bag police station.
State-Level Directive Behind the Drive
The coordinated crackdown follows directives from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Director General of Police Kailash Makwana for stern action against narcotics traffickers and cultivators. Notably, the use of drone surveillance in Neemuch marks an escalation in enforcement tactics — a recognition that traffickers have adapted by concealing crops behind natural and constructed cover.
This is not an isolated operation; Madhya Pradesh has recorded multiple large-scale cannabis seizures in the Malwa-Nimar belt in recent years, a region that enforcement agencies have repeatedly flagged as a cultivation hotspot due to its proximity to trade routes. DGP Makwana stated that the anti-narcotics drive will continue in a more aggressive manner going forward.
What Comes Next
With eight NDPS cases now registered across both districts, the accused — including landowners and alleged illegal occupants — face prosecution under the stringent NDPS Act, which carries severe penalties for large-scale cultivation. Police have indicated that operations will intensify, with drone surveillance likely to be deployed more widely across other districts in the state.
Point of View
000 plants concealed behind stone walls and intercropped with maize, cotton, and tur — points to organised, not opportunistic, cultivation. The Malwa-Nimar belt has surfaced in enforcement reports repeatedly, yet seizures keep growing in size, which raises a harder question: is the crackdown disrupting supply chains, or merely intercepting a fraction of output? The deployment of drones is a tactical step forward, but without prosecutions that reach higher up the cultivation network, state-level operations risk becoming headline-generating exercises that leave the underlying economics intact.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Madhya Pradesh cannabis raid?
Madhya Pradesh Police seized more than 52,000 green cannabis plants weighing over 34 quintals, with an estimated value of ₹5.89 crore, from eight fields across Neemuch and Dhar districts. Eight cases have been registered under the NDPS Act.
Which districts were targeted in the MP narcotics crackdown?
The raids were conducted in Neemuch and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh. Neemuch saw the larger haul — 51,000 plants worth ₹2.79 crore — while Dhar was targeted under Operation 'Prahaar', yielding plants worth a combined ₹3.10 crore.
What is Operation 'Prahaar' in Madhya Pradesh?
Operation 'Prahaar' is an anti-narcotics drive led by Dhar Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma, focused on identifying and destroying illegal cannabis cultivation in the district. The operation uses tip-offs and coordinated multi-team raids to simultaneously target multiple fields.
How did police detect the hidden cannabis fields?
In Neemuch, police used drone-based aerial surveillance on 16 October to identify crops hidden behind high stone fencing and within maize fields, before conducting ground searches. In Dhar, teams acted on specific informant tip-offs to locate plants concealed among cotton and tur crops.
Who ordered the anti-narcotics drive in Madhya Pradesh?
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Director General of Police Kailash Makwana issued directives calling for stern action against narcotics drug peddlers. DGP Makwana has stated that the anti-narcotics drive will continue in an increasingly aggressive manner.
