Police arrest New Bedford Captain with extra 150-pounds of scallops, Oxycontin

On Wednesday, October 10, a Massachusetts Environmental Police Officer conducted a commercial permit inspection aboard a scallop vessel in New Bedford. The vessel was found to be permitted federally but did not possess a valid commercial permit to land scallops in Massachusetts.

The Officer then requested the Captain display his catch of scallops to ensure compliance of the federally permitted possession limits. The Captain presented the Officer with the vessel’s allowable catch of 600-pounds; however, further inspection of the vessel located an additional 150-pounds of scallops concealed within a beverage cooler.

The catch was seized and the vessel Captain was subsequently arrested for failure to display fish/catch upon demand. During the arrest process he was also found to be in possession of Oxycontin without a prescription.