114 Operation “Root of All Evil” with Kirk Kiefer – Ohio

Kirk Kiefer has been a wildlife investigator with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the past 15 years. In this episode, he walks us through Operation “Root of All Evil,” a lengthy and complex investigation into the illegal ginseng trade that spanned multiple states, included unmarked vehicles, extended surveillance, buys and sales by undercover officers, and even a fake business. Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podcast Don Noyes Chevrolet Sovereign Sportsman Solutions “A Cowboy in the Woods” Book Hunt of a Lifetime Maine's Operation Game Thief Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH International Wildlife Crimestoppers Here’s what we discuss: ·       Wild ginseng root is highly valued for its perceived medicinal properties ·       Grows very slowly, taking up to five years to reach maturity ·       One pound can be worth up to $1000 ·       Seeds take over a year to germinate ·       Information campaign helped educate stakeholders on the damage caused by poaching ·       Many poachers are involved in other illegal activities ·       Legal ginseng plants must have three leaf sets, or ‘prongs’ ·       Case also had multiple prongs ·       Prong 1: Undercover officers sold ginseng to licensed dealers ·       Compared the amount sold to the amount reported ·       Officers then sold ginseng outside the buying season to confirm illegal intent ·       Prong 2: Coordinated with US Fish & Wildlife Service to create a fake business ·       Business would receive inquiries from those looking to buy and sell illegal product ·       Prong 3: Obtain offenders’ assistance in exchange for a reduced penalty ·       Task force worked in multiple states ·       One offender had been featured on a popular reality show ·       The television show actually helped educate the public about ginseng poaching ·       Many countries overseas have decimated indigenous flora and fauna, creating a black market ·       110 defendants received multiple charges ·       Nearly six years of jail time served, $77,000 in fines ·       Kirk’s background; jack of all trades ·       Trapping academy ·       State officers were made aware of the ginseng operation ·       “Giving a little bit, we received a lot.” ·       Not all states have Wildlife Investigators ·       State of Ohio has done some major operations ·       Ginseng awareness for stakeholders training began in 2015 ·       Operation takedown day finally arrived in 2022 Credits Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores Producer: Jay Ammann Art & Design: Ashley Hannett Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches   Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Google Waypoint Stitcher TuneIn Megaphone Find More Here: Website Warden’s Watch / TGL Store Facebook Facebook Fan Page Instagram Twitter YouTube RSS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices