Myanmar authorities have destroyed 438.5 acres (177.6 hectares) illegally grown opium poppy plantations in eastern Shan state, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Monday, according to a Xinhua report.

The opium poppy plantations, destroyed by a combined force of police and local people between Oct. 28 and Nov. 23, were grown in some villages in Pinlaung and Pekon townships.

According to figures, poppy was cultivated on 37,300 hectares of land and 520 tons were produced in Myanmar in 2018, down by 9 percent and 5.45 percent respectively as compared with 2017 when poppy was cultivated on 41,000 hectares and 550 tons were produced.