Nineteen people had been arrested for participating in the poaching of a valuable fruit in a city in China’s Qinghai Province
Over 5,000 people are allegedly involved in the theft of wild black medlar, an expensive plant dubbed by locals as "soft gold."
The illicit activity has affected the fruit's market price, inflicting an eightfold price increase from 140 yuan per kilogram to nearly 500 yuan.
Wild black medlar grown in the Golmud can cost as much as 200 yuan ($31) per kilogram and as such, the steep price tag has compelled poachers to bypass fenced-off plantations.
Poachers resort to the killing of guards and setting property on fire, among other things, in order to gain access to black medlar. In addition, the poaching of the rare fruit has led to soil erosion, leaving hundreds of sandpits in the Golmud grassland.
Poaching of black medlar began after the discovery of its medicinal properties.
The routine harvest of the fruit begins this month and concerns are being raised over illegal trading and the threat from poaching.
In a report by the Global Times, a contractor surnamed Li stated that the poachers are clever and organized.
"They know where to find the fruit and pass on the information to others, making us totally outnumbered and helpless," said Li.
A plantation manager has also shared that several mobs have targeted their plantations this month, inflicting injuries on guards and sabotaging their vehicles.
Although the police are now stepping up measures against such criminal elements, improving safety, some plantation owners think that it is inadequate and that poaching activities are difficult to stop.
Golmud officials announced on Wednesday that illegal poaching of the fruit would not be tolerated.