Illegal Dumping In Pine Barrens In Yaphank Cleaned After Bust: Sheriff

YAPHANK, NY — The Suffolk County Sheriff's office rounded up a suspect responsible for dumping piles of debris in the pristine Pine Barrens in Yaphank, according to a news release.

The suspect, whose name was not released, was investigated and identified after illegally dumping large amounts of household trash in the woods, the sheriff's office said.

When illegal dumping is discovered, Pine Barrens Enforcement Officers send any information they have to agencies that are part of the Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Council, the sheriff's office, said, adding, that the receiving agency then handles the investigation and prosecution of the illegal dumping.

The council includes representatives from all agencies within the Central Pine Barrens region with law enforcement or compliance function, according to the sheriff's office, which is now one of the lead agencies.

In this case, the subject was identified by deputy sheriffs and faced prosecution, but he eventually cleaned the entire area at his expense and paid a fine, the sheriff's office said.

Toulon thanked his deputy sheriffs for their hard work.

“The Pine Barrens are one of Suffolk County’s most valuable resources," he said. "This area contains wildlife habitats, hiking trails, and overlies our drinking water aquafer. Any illegal dumping in the Pine Barrens puts this area at great risk. I commend my deputy sheriffs for their hard work in investigating this ongoing threat to the Pine Barrens.”