Yarsagumba seizures in Siliguri : 800 grams of ‘Cordyceps’ recovered from Samar Nagar in Siliguri

EOI, SILIGURI, SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 : Siliguri: Foresters of Ambari Range of Baikunthapur Forest division recovered 800 grams of ‘Cordyceps’ or ‘Yarsagumba’, a rare species of caterpillar fungus, valued at about Rs 20 lakh on Wednesday night. 

Earlier, two people were arrested with 13.2 grams of Cordyceps. After interrogating them this large quantity of Cordyceps were recovered from Samar Nagar in Siliguri. According to forest sources, these were brought to Siliguri to smuggle them to China. On September 8, Foresters based on a tip-off arrested one person from the Samar Nagar area and another from Champasari area and recovered 13.2 grams of Cordyceps from them. 

They were identified as Dhendup Tamang, a resident of Kalimpong and Govind Chhetri from Nepal. Alamgir Haque, the Range Officer of Ambari Range said: “The interrogation of the arrested revealed that five smugglers had taken a rented house in Samar Nagar in Siliguri and had been running the smuggling racket. 

On Wednesday night, forest officials raided the house, although the smugglers managed to flee from the spot and 800 grams of cordyceps was recovered. The estimated International market value of the seized material is about Rs. 20 lakh.” Yarsagumba is mainly found in Tibet and the Himalayan Regions of Bhutan and Nepal.

In the previous operation two people managed to flee and the officials believe that they had more consignments in their possession. The local police stations and the outposts of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the Indo-Nepal borders were alerted and a manhunt begun to track the two persons who escaped. 

According to sources, the average per kilogram price of caterpillar fungus in the grey market is around Rs 15 lakh. 

According to experts, caterpillar fungus is used as a raw material to make ‘Himalayan Viagra’ that has high aphrodisiac components. In China, it is used as a raw material for the treatment of complicated diseases of the lungs and kidneys. Athletes, especially long-distance runners, use it as a stamina enhancer.

Courtesy & source: Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/man-arrested-for-smuggling-rare-species-of-caterpillar-fungus-532320

Related News: https://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com/2023/09/kalimpong-man-arrested-for-smuggling.html