Police destroy 375 acres of opium poppies in southern Mexico

Authorities in Mexico say the country’s opium poppy production appears to be moving into lower-lying, less-remote areas after federal police reported destroying 375 acres (152 hectares) of poppy fields in rural areas around the Guerrero state capital of Chilpancingo. (Photo by Alastair Rae/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

MEXICO CITY — Authorities in Mexico say the country’s opium poppy production appears to be moving into lower-lying, less-remote areas after federal police reported destroying 375 acres (152 hectares) of poppy fields in rural areas around the Guerrero state capital of Chilpancingo.

Farmers higher up in the mountains of Guerrero have long grown poppies on small plots. But the eradication raids over the last two weeks found larger fields in areas lower in the mountains and nearer to highways and the state capital.

Federal police said Thursday the poppies were all eradicated by hand, either chopped down or pulled up. Farmers have objected to aerial spraying of herbicides like glyphosate.

Earlier this week, police reported finding 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of opium paste hidden in sacks in a cave in the same area.