On 13.06.2018, during the special programme "Mak" (Poppy) and the inspection of populated areas to establish facts of cultivating drug-containing plants, employees of the Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs, jointly with employees of the Pervomaisky District Department of Internal Affairs of Vitebsk, discovered a field near the village of Bobrovo where 5 hectares of wild poppies were growing, with a total mass of over 700 kilograms. These plants were destroyed.

On 13.06.2018, during the special programme "Mak" and the inspection of populated areas to establish facts of cultivating drug-containing plants, employees of the Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs, jointly with employees of the Pervomaisky District Department of Internal Affairs of Vitebsk, discovered a field near the village of Bobrovo where 5 hectares of wild poppies were growing, with a total mass of over 700 kilograms. These plants were destroyed.

We remind you that from June 1 to September 15, 2018, the special programme "MAK" is being conducted on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. The main goal of this programme is to suppress the facts of spreading drug raw material of plant origin (poppies, hemp, etc.), to identify and destroy illegal crops of drug-containing plants, and to take measures against offenders as provided for by law. The sowing and/or cultivation of drug-containing plants is illegal.

In cases where poppies, hemp, or other drug-containing plants are grown on a household plot, citizens may be brought to administrative liability for this offence under Article 16.1 (Sowing or cultivation of plants or fungi containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, prohibited for cultivation) of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus, with an administrative penalty in the form of a fine of up to 20 base units.

For actions related to the cultivation of drug-containing plants for the purpose of sale or manufacture, Article 329 (Sowing or cultivation of plants or fungi containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, prohibited for cultivation) provides for criminal liability in the form of a fine, or arrest, or restriction of liberty for a term of up to three years, or imprisonment for the same term.

Should you discover any instances of narcotic-containing plants (poppies, hemp, etc.) growing in fields, derelict areas, forests, or on private plots, please report this information to the officers of the Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs (ROVD) to enable effective measures to prevent the spread of narcotic-containing plants.

Any information regarding individuals who use narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, engage in their storage, sale, manufacture, or cultivation, as well as those who misuse medicinal preparations containing narcotic, psychotropic, or potent substances for non-medical purposes, can be reported to the Lepel ROVD Department for Drug Control and Human Trafficking Counteraction by telephone at (02132) 4-18-40, 4-78-94, (029) 896-23-79 (MTS) or (029) 710-27-89, or to the ROVD Duty Service at 102. Anonymity is guaranteed.

Head of the Lepel ROVD
Police Lieutenant Colonel
A.S. Duranov