Japanese city finds opium poppies grown for festival

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

TOKYO (AFP) — A Japanese city has been forced to destroy thousands of flowers grown for a local festival after a police officer noticed they were illegal opium poppies, an official said Wednesday.

About 100 officials were mobilised in Shimotsuma City north of Tokyo to pluck and burn the one-hectare (2.47-acre) field of lilac-coloured papaver setigerum poppies, according to the city official.

The flowers were grown by volunteers using seeds imported from abroad, she said, adding that the city was checking how the seeds had got into the country.

"A small number of them had been spotted since a few years ago but nobody ever realised they are a banned type. We are so surprised," she said.

The Shimotsuma flower festival draws 2,000-3,000 visitors every...