Tomsk residents switched from hemp to poppy

In the Tomsk region, they began to grow poppies for the production of drugs. Previously, hemp was preferred in the region.

Tomsk police reported an increase in the number of crimes related to the cultivation of drug-containing plants.

“In 2016, one crime related to the cultivation of drug-containing plants was revealed, this year there were already four such crimes,” Nikolai Abrashkin, head of the drug control department of the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, told reporters (quoted by Interfax ) . “What is interesting is that half of the crimes are related to the cultivation of poppies, which did not exist before, they were only engaged in hemp.”

Hemp and poppy are grown in settlements and household plots, Abrashkin noted. He specified that during one of the operations, the police seized 1.4 thousand poppy bushes.

All those detained in 2017 on suspicion of cultivating cannabis received suspended sentences.