Friday, June 8, 2018

Conservation Agents Make Drug Busts, One On Platte

Missouri Conservation Agents routinely patrol conservation areas and respond to calls at conservation areas. Agents primarily enforce laws pertaining to fishing, hunting, and other conservation laws, but also enforce all state laws on conservation areas and the following are recent examples of law enforcement efforts.

During the Memorial Day weekend two agents made a vehicle stop on a vehicle after the driver was observed littering a metal beverage container into the Platte River. During the stop the agents discovered that both the driver and passenger had used drugs earlier that day, the driver was driving without a valid license, and both were at a conservation area during closed hours (10 p.m.-4 a.m.). Enforcement action was taken on both individuals.

Several airplane patrols have been done across the state targeting illegal hand fishing activity, fishing enforcement, conservation area enforcement, and littering. Several tickets were issued for littering and over limits of fish so far.

One agent found a group at a conservation area lake swimming in a lake closed to swimming. Upon contact it was discovered that one of them had a warrant for their arrest and one had drug paraphernalia in their possession. Enforcement action was taken and the person with the warrant was taken to jail.

To report conservation violations you can contact Missouri Conservation Agents directly (numbers on MDC website) or by calling the county or state dispatch center. You can also call the OGT (Operation Game Thief) 24 hour hotline at 1-800-392-1111, you can remain anonymous and rewards are possible.

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