Oregon Coast safari park owner arrested after 44 guns, $1.6M cash, drugs found, police say
The owner of West Coast Game Park Safari, which was raided by law enforcement agencies May 15-18, was arrested May 27 on charges related to possession of drugs seized during the raid.
Oregon State Police raided the Bandon facility along with local, state and federal agencies, executing multiple search warrants.
They seized and relocated 310 animals to animal sanctuary and rescue facilities.
The facility had been racking up violations since 2016 for offenses like a dead tiger kept in a freezer for months, animals found dead, sick, starving and never examined by a veterinarian, rotting food and rat droppings.
The South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team participated in the search and found about 80 grams of methamphetamine, according to a Facebook post from the Coos County Sheriff's Office. A detective obtained an additional search warrant for evidence of controlled substance crimes at the same location, the post said.
The additional search recovered 44 firearms, including one modified into a machine gun, about 8 grams of cocaine, and about $1.6 million in cash, cashier's checks, bonds and certificates, the post said.
Bandon Police arrested the 52-year-old owner in connection with the narcotics investigation, the post said.
He was taken to the Coos County Jail on charges of methamphetamine possession, manufacturing and attempted distribution.
Court records showed no charges had been filed as of 4 p.m. May 27.
Police said the investigation was ongoing.
Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon's West Coast Game Park Safari owner arrested on drug charges
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