Crackdown on Plant Poachers

The US Attorney's Office is cracking down on plant poachers in state and federal parks in western North Carolina, specifically targeting those who steal galax.

Authorities recently seized more than 50,000 galax plants during an undercover operation along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Buncombe and surrounding counties.

Ten people were convicted, including two juveniles. Authorities believe the poached galax was headed for commercial sale to florists.

US Attorney Gretchen Shappert says poachers threaten to wipe out galax, a plant native to western North Carolina.

"Poaching of galax is a major problem. This for example is galax recovered from the Blue Ridge Parkway that was ripped out of the ground by poachers," Shappert said Wednesday.

Two of the people arrested served six months in jail, while the others received 30 day sentences, and were banned from federal lands for two years.