Moqui Marble Bust

[intuitive cat]

So, I heard via word of mouth that some guys in Los Angeles recently were arrested for having 2 TONS of Moqui Marbles in their possession with intent to sell. The BLM also found piled mounds on Spencer Flats which were awaiting pick up.
When I recently hiked out to the Pyramid, the old 2 track that is closed to motorized vehicles had fresh big truck tracks (tread almost 2 feet wide) heading out past the signs into the area just west of Red Breaks.
I have been trying to find an online article about this to no avail.
Has anyone else heard about this?
I also heard that this has led to more motion activated cameras being placed in that area in an attempt to catch collectors.
During my online search, I did manage to come across a new age crystal and gemstone shop selling moqui marbles online for incredibly high prices.
They mention it being illegal to collect them on the monument now but I can't really think of any private property that would have Moqui Marbles, so my guess is that they are still being illegally collected in mass quantities.
If nothing else, it would be interesting to discover who and where their source is.

 

[Nick]

Crazy! I'd love to hear more about this if you end up finding anything. And I'm always down with harassing a website like that. Unbelievable how much they are asking for those!

 

[Bill]

If nothing else, it would be interesting to discover who and where their source is.

absolutely

 

[intuitive cat]

I just emailed the local Monument BLM law enforcement ranger and pointed him at that site as well as telling him about the truck tracks I saw on the closed road.
I hate to be a snitch, but some things really deserve enforcement.
stewardship as prime directive.
I'll let you know if i find out anything else.

 

[Bill]

I was thinking the "no collecting" sign 100 yards down the zebra canyon trail seemed a little odd.

 

[intuitive cat]

I just heard a story today about a time not too long ago when people would be coming through town with whole 50 gallon trash cans full of them. The story included a personal experience in which this person had gone out to one of those slickrock pads with a field of moqui marbles when he had first moved here and he was overwhelmed by just how many there were in this one particular flat area near the road, the whole area literally covered completely with them. He had a friend come into town about 5 years later and took him to the spot and it was almost completely cleared of them - to the point that he at first thought it could not possibly be the same spot.