Gangtok, July 10: Four persons have been arrested in Sikkim in connection with the smuggling of Yarsagumba, a high-altitude fungus also called “Himalayan Viagra” because it is used as an aphrodisiac and has immense medicinal value. Officials of the Sikkim forest and environment department, who made the arrests yesterday, refused to disclose details, saying the “case was still under investigation”. Three of those held are known only by their first names — Narayan, Arjun and Deepak. The fourth has been identified as Darsang Bhutia. All are Sikkim residents, police said. The bust is part of a wider crackdown on the smuggling of rare medicinal plants from the state over the past year. According to the principal chief conservator of forests, S.T. Lachungpa, the assistance of various agencies and individuals had been taken to tackle the smuggling. The four were picked up yesterday after a raid here last week that led to the arrest of Dharkey Gurung alias Rapgay, a Nepali citizen, and Ur...
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