POACHERS PINCHED IN STATEWIDE OPERATION

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri's record snowfall didn't deter dozens of Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) agents from converging on 45 suspected wildlife criminals Jan. 20 in the final phase of nine extended undercover investigations.

At lease one of those arrested in the 17-county raid faces federal felony charges for trafficking in protected species and illegal commercialization of wildlife.

A Columbia-area taxidermist faces multiple charges for alleged illegal activities. MDC and USFWS agents served arrest and search warrants at his residence Friday afternoon. Officers at the scene collected evidence of a number of wildlife violations.

Several arrests in the Ozarks netted "meat hunters," who were suspected of illegally killing deer and then selling the meat.

Other offenders included a meat-packing operation in eastern Missouri and taxidermists from the Warrensburg and Kansas City areas. In addition to these cases, undercover agents infiltrated several groups involved in illegal activity. While undercover, they documented numerous violations, including possession of a trumpeter swan an endangered species, illegal fishing by electro-shocking, over limits, lending deer tags and hunting in closed season.

When asked about the effect of this weekend's operation, Ron Glover, chief of MDC's Protection Division responded, "We're pleased with the performance of all our people involved in this operation. Our hope is that their efforts will help expose a criminal element that refuses to abide by the laws that most hunters have demanded for decades."

Glover continued, "One of the biggest obstacles hunters must overcome is being identified with the likes of those arrested this weekend. The violations our agents witnessed during these investigations show a total lack of respect for not only wildlife and hunters, but also for those who just enjoy seeing wildlife. The actions of these few do not represent those of 98 percent of our hunters. It is our responsibility to expose this type activity in order to protect the majority of our hunters."

The raid resulted in charges being filed in Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Crawford, Dallas, Douglas, Gasconade, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Jackson, Johnson, Maries, Marion, Osage, Putnam and Texas Counties.

MDC officials stress the importance of public cooperation in combatting wildlife violations and remind people that they can help put outdoor criminals out of business. Witnesses of a wildlife violation are urged to call MDC's toll-free Operation Game Thief hot line 1-800-392-1111.