08-26-2005, 11:08 PM
[font "Times New Roman"]DEP Environmental Conservation Police Participate in Joint Enforcement Effort[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the Division of Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police recently participated with the Massachusetts Environmental Police and federal agents from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USF & W) in a joint enforcement effort on information received from an informant concerning the illegal sale of striped bass.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]On Tuesday, August 16, 2005, Connecticut EnCon Police Officers Tom Bull, Ryan Healy and Jim Kane, along with USF&W Agent Tom Riccardi conducted surveillance of Clinton Harbor and observed two vessels return to port and offload numerous striped bass into a waiting truck. The truck was then followed to a seafood dealer in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Upon reaching the seafood dealer, the two accused, John Zacks Jr. and Benjamin Rapuano Jr., were met by Massachusetts Officers Pete Hanlon and Mike Caimire and NMFS Agent Chris McCarron who seized their catch that included 33 striped bass (805 pounds) and 91 scup. Both subjects were charged with numerous fisheries violations in Massachusetts and arrest warrants are currently being processed for the two accused in Connecticut. A federal investigation into the actions of both the fishermen and the seafood dealer are being conducted by the NMFS.[/font][font "Times New Roman"] [center][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/pressrel.htm"]Press Releases[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/news.htm"]News[/url][/center][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"]The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced the Division of Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police recently participated with the Massachusetts Environmental Police and federal agents from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USF & W) in a joint enforcement effort on information received from an informant concerning the illegal sale of striped bass.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]On Tuesday, August 16, 2005, Connecticut EnCon Police Officers Tom Bull, Ryan Healy and Jim Kane, along with USF&W Agent Tom Riccardi conducted surveillance of Clinton Harbor and observed two vessels return to port and offload numerous striped bass into a waiting truck. The truck was then followed to a seafood dealer in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Upon reaching the seafood dealer, the two accused, John Zacks Jr. and Benjamin Rapuano Jr., were met by Massachusetts Officers Pete Hanlon and Mike Caimire and NMFS Agent Chris McCarron who seized their catch that included 33 striped bass (805 pounds) and 91 scup. Both subjects were charged with numerous fisheries violations in Massachusetts and arrest warrants are currently being processed for the two accused in Connecticut. A federal investigation into the actions of both the fishermen and the seafood dealer are being conducted by the NMFS.[/font][font "Times New Roman"] [center][url "http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/pressrel.htm"]Press Releases[/url] | [url "http://dep.state.ct.us/news.htm"]News[/url][/center][/font]
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