Four men from Saephu Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang were caught in Bumthang on April 14 while attempting to enter a cordycep collection area in Bumthang.
A joint patrolling team of police, foresters and Dessups caught the men around midnight in Toktazam, a bridge that connects lower Chhoekhor.
The patrolling team found a pair of toothbrush meant for cleaning cordyceps, a binocular and a net for drying cordyceps in their possession.The men told police they wanted to enter the cordycep collection sites via Bumthang as the route is shorter from the district.
All of them were fined as per the Cordyceps Harvesting Guidelines 2019 and released on April 15.
Meanwhile, foresters from Wangchuck Centennial National Park has increased surveillance along the peripheries of Chamkhar town to monitor illegal collectors and enforce COVID-19 precautionary directives from the government.
Kipchu Tshering
