People passing through Meihua County in Lechan, Shaoguan City recently noticed almost 2,000 gorgeous purple flowers in full bloom in a remote vegetable plot.  While people were impressed by the flowers, nobody realized what they were until the police happened to stop by.

Image credit: The Guardian

It turns out the flowers were opium poppies, according to media reports. Police moved in and eradicated the poppies, and now the hunt is on for whoever planted them.

Meihua country is a remote, steep mountainous area in the north of Lechang. The 1,999 poppies were discovered by police doing regular patrols in the area. Planting opium is against Chinese law, and it didn’t take too long for Shaoguan Police’s anti-drug detachment and the Lechang criminal investigation brigade to destroy all 1,999 plants.

Police believe a villager in the area surnamed Qiu planted the poppies, and they are on the hunt for him now.  It’s believed he slipped away as soon as he knew police discovered his crops.