CANADA, September 13 - Released on September 13, 2023

While many of us were enjoying the last day of the August long weekend, Yorkton-area conservation officers and their law enforcement partners were on the job August 7 at a roadside inspection station, keeping the public safe and protecting Saskatchewan waters from invasive species.

During the multi-agency operation that included the RCMP and Saskatchewan Highway Patrol, 601 vehicles came through the check stop on Highway 10 east of Yorkton. Officers inspected 22 watercraft for aquatic invasive species and decontaminated six boats that were deemed high risk. The successful operation also uncovered a variety of violations, including: 

• transporting watercraft with drain plug in place;
• transporting fish that can't be identified;
• driving without a valid licence;
• child restraint and seatbelt violations;
• driving while impaired by cannabis;
• possessing cannabis in a vehicle; 
• possessing illicit cigarettes; 
• exceeding registered gross vehicle weight; and
• improperly securing cargo.

Overall, the successful operation resulted in a total of 12 charges, 19 warnings and seven car seat inspections. Five impaired drivers each received a 72-hour driver's licence suspension and had their vehicles impounded. Officers also seized seven walleye and 11 cartons of illicit cigarettes.

The Conservation Officer Service and Highway Patrol are both part of Provincial Protective Services (PPS) within the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. PPS members work closely with the RCMP and other law enforcement agencies to keep the public safe, on the road and on the water, while protecting Saskatchewan's environment and natural resources.

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