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Last updated on Wednesday, May 17, 2017
(ENGLISH) - The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife seized several pounds of caviar and thousands of dollars Monday at an English business.
Commercial fisherman David Cox says more than 50 agents armed with weapons raided his business at 131 West Zoo Road in English looking for illegal fish. No one was arrested during the incident.
Federal agents refused to comment on the case Tuesday afternoon, saying it was an ongoing investigation.
David Cox owns Midwest Caviar LLC along with his wife Vicki and son David Jr. They comb the Ohio River for paddle fish and have been in the caviar business since 1999.
Cox says he recently found out an undercover agent was on his boat last year while fishing on the river near Troy, Indiana.
Cox say the fish in question may have been a paddle fish that may have been too small to keep. Cox questioned the size and told the agent to throw it back, but the agent kept encouraging Cox to keep the fish.
Cox admitted he gave in and kept the fish and then opened it to harvest the eggs.
According to Cox, agents seized 600 pounds of caviar, worth more than $50,000; $20,000 in cash and checks, his fishing records, a boat and a truck.
Federal agents also raided his son-in-law's company and his son's property.
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