HAALKHABAR

Gangtok, July 29: The Sikkim Forest Department today auctioned the Himalayan Viagra seized from illegal suppliers last week. In an auction held at the state forest department here today, the rare Himalayan aphrodisiac herb weighing just 700 Gms was auctioned for Rs.45,000. The auctioneers had fixed the basic rate at Rs.42,000 while, one among the two bidders Mr. Mangal Rai won it by bidding Rs.45,000. 

If the forest department officials are to be believed, the Himalayan Viagra that weighed 2.10 Kgs during seizure last Friday dried up to mere 700 gms. The herb was conventionally dried to avoid damage from moisture, they said.

Interestingly, while the state police seized the Himalayan Viagra last Friday, its initial weight of 2.47 Kg was said to be only 2.10 kgs, within hours of its seizure. And today it weighed only 700 gms.  The price was pegged at around Rs.60,000 per Kg.

Sikkim Police had last Friday arrested five persons, who were trying to smuggle around 2kg of caterpillar fungus (Himalayan Viagra), known for its aphrodisiac properties.

After a five hour long chase, the police arrested the smugglers for having in possession 2.10 Kg of Himalayan Viagra (Yarcha Gombuk) worth 6.75 lakhs in the international market. Acting on a tip off, the police held Bhim Bahadur Rai (20), Pawan Pradhan (34), Bikash Gurung (27), Suk Bahadur Subba (26) and Nar Bahadur Gurung from TNA gate complex in Sikkim capital Gangtok

 “The case against them has been compounded. All five accused have paid fine of Rs.25,000 each under Wildlife Protection Act. 1972. They will be released soon. On enquiry they revealed that the goods were illegally collected from Kanchenjunga National Park, Lachen Area of North Sikkim and they were charged under the Wildlife Protection Act. The accused requested that the case be compounded. Inquiry also revealed that they were not big businessman, they supplied small quantity for personal use only”, said the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), State Forest Department, and Auction Committee Member.

The accused were arrested for engaging in illegal supply of Himalayan Viagra collected from Kanchanjunga National Park area in North Sikkim – 8000 ft and above. The total weight of the medicinal herb was 2.10 Kg, the police said.

The Himalayan Viagra is sold at Rs.2.70 lakhs per Kg, while the total consignment has been calculated to be worth over 1500 US $ per Kg in the international market.

The consignment and the arrested persons were then sent to the state wildlife authorities, who took up the case.

“Their act was illegal because it was against the state government notification in 2009, which said that they had to get prior permission for doing so. But they did not inform anybody so action was initiated against them. We have intensified field staff both within and outside the protected areas where the herb is widely found”, he added

The police also seized the Bolero SK-04/8416, used for smuggling the Viagra.

Yarcha Gombuk, commonly known as Himalayan Viagra often in local language called ‘Kira Jhar’ grows at higher altitude. Yarcha Gombuk is generally found in the protected forest areas of north, east and west Sikkim, at altitudes of 3000 to 5000 meters above the sea level. The fungus is also found in the Tibet.

Under the wildlife conservation and protection act, collection of the Viagra and other forest products from reserve forests, sanctuaries and national parks without prior permission is illegal and attracts penalties of fines and imprisonment, depending on the degree of the crime