COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife recently concluded a two-year-long investigation into illegally harvested and dealt ginseng.
The investigation, which ran from 2018 to 2020, spanned 21 Ohio counties and resulted in 110 defendants being charged with a combined 259 violations. Charges included the illegal harvest of ginseng, falsification or failure to keep ginseng records, illegal purchase of ginseng and harvest of ginseng without permission. During the investigation, seven individuals were also charged for the manufacture, possession or sale of illicit drugs.
The operation, conducted in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, involved the illegal trafficking of ginseng in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Kentucky and Indiana.
The investigation targeted licensed ginseng dealers, unlicensed ginseng dealers and out-of-season diggers, according to an ODNR press release. Defendants in the case combined to pay $76,178 in fines and $21,633 in court costs, with an additional $20,872 in cash being forfeited. Courts ordered a total of 7,986 days of jail time; 2,068 days were served and the rest was suspended. Additional penalties include probation, community service, home confinement, suspension of ginseng dealer permits and suspension of digging ginseng.
In April, the Division of Wildlife sold ginseng forfeited during this operation and other cases in an auction that raised $51,542 for the state’s Wildlife Diversity Fund, which supports projects for species of greatest conservation need.
Ginseng harvest. American ginseng is a slow-growing perennial herb that is found throughout Ohio in small, scattered populations. It is highly valued for its medicinal properties. Ohio is one of 19 states with a ginseng management program, which allows for the legal export of ginseng. The program allows the state to maintain a sustainable yield of ginseng, so harvesting of the plant is not detrimental to the survival of the species. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Division of Wildlife guide ginseng harvest and trade regulations in Ohio.
A ginseng dealer permit issued by the Division of Wildlife is required to buy ginseng for resale or export, and ginseng must be certified by the Division of Wildlife before it is exported from Ohio. Ohio wildlife officers and investigators have statewide authority to enforce the state’s ginseng harvest and sale laws.
In Ohio, ginseng can only be harvested between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, annually. Harvest is limited to mature ginseng plants (at least three leaves) and regulations stipulate that harvesters are required to plant the seeds of collected plants where they were found. Ginseng diggers must have written permission to collect ginseng on private and public lands.
