On September 12, the People’s Committee of Mang Ri commune reported that a local household had lost over 300 Panax vietnamensis plants, commonly known as Ngoc Linh ginseng, to theft.
Mr. A Doc was shocked to find his entire ginseng garden stolen overnight.
The owner of the garden, Mr. A Doc (39 years old, from Long Hy village, Mang Ri commune), cultivated approximately 300 ginseng plants aged 3 to 7 years in the village. However, on the evening of September 5, Mr. Doc left the garden to attend to personal matters.
When he returned the next morning, September 6, at 7 am, he was shocked to discover that over 300 ginseng plants had been stolen. He found strange footprints and three fallen ginseng plants left behind by the thieves in their escape.
Mr. A Doc points out the areas in his garden where the ginseng was stolen.
Mr. Doc shared that his family had invested in the garden for the past seven years, borrowing 100 million VND from the bank to fund the endeavor. They had planned to sell the ginseng to cover their children’s school expenses for the upcoming school year, but now they are left with nothing.
“I spent around 10 million VND on steel mesh to enclose the garden and built a guard shack. Despite these precautions, one night of negligence resulted in the loss of our entire family’s assets. My wife was devastated when she heard the news, unsure how we would support our children and repay the bank loan,” expressed Mr. Doc.
Thief’s footprints at the crime scene.
Three ginseng plants that were dropped by the thieves during their escape.
Following the incident, Mr. A Doc reported the theft to the Mang Ri commune police. The authorities conducted an on-site investigation and are working to identify the perpetrators.
All the ginseng plants, aged 3 to 7 years, were uprooted and stolen.
Tu Mo Rong district has witnessed a string of Panax vietnamensis thefts recently, causing significant losses to both individuals and businesses.
In response, the People’s Committee of Tu Mo Rong district has instructed the district police to strengthen their leadership and coordination with the commune authorities to maintain security and order. They are also working closely with the communes to investigate and trace the theft of Panax vietnamensis plants.
Earlier, on August 21, the Tu Mo Rong Ngoc Linh Ginseng Joint Stock Company reported the theft of approximately 160 Panax vietnamensis plants aged 3 to 7 years, resulting in an estimated loss of nearly 200 million VND.
In February 2024, over 800 Panax vietnamensis plants, aged 4 to 10 years, were stolen from four communes in Tu Mo Rong district: Te Xang, Ngoc Lay, Dak Sao, and Dak Na.
The Theft of Hundreds of Panax Vietnamensis Plants
A company in Tu Mo Rong District, Kon Tum Province, has fallen victim to thieves who stole approximately 160 precious Ngoc Linh ginseng roots.
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