Detectives have charged a man with 77 offences as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged illegal hunting offences in the state's Riverina region.
In June this year, detectives from the Rural Crime Prevention Team commenced an investigation after being notified by the Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) Game Licencing Unit of a video posted to social media depicting dogs hunting feral pigs in NSW state forests, including in Carabost.
As part of inquiries, with assistance from Riverina Police District and the DPI's Game Licensing Unit, investigators executed a search warrant at a property on Lake Albert Road, Kooringal, about 8.30am on Tuesday 29 June 2021.
During the search, police seized hunting equipment, dog collars, GPS trackers, fireworks, mobile phones, a Toyota Landcruiser and cannabis.
The items underwent forensic examination.
Following further inquiries, a 48-year-old man was Issued a Future Court Attendance Notice on Tuesday (14 September 2021) and charged with 77 offences;
- 38 counts of kill, hunt, shoot, poison animal in forestry area
- 26 counts of enter private land to hunt animal without owner consent
- 6 counts of hunt, shoot, injure, capture, etc or possess animal in park
- Hunt game animal on private/public land without licence
- Recklessly fail to discharge biosecurity duty cause impact
- Being in charge of an animal fail to alleviate pain
- Release game animal for the purpose of hunting
- Cut, strip, remove, destroy etc timber on Crown-timber land
- Possess, supply or make explosive for unlawful purpose
- Possess prohibited drug
Police will allege in court that the man – who is an unlicensed hunter – had conducted illegal hunting activities across NSW on 42 occasions between January and June 2021.
The Kooringal man is due to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday 27 October 2021.
