State Department of Environmental Conservation officials swarmed a Bay Shore facility Thursday in what appears to be part of a probe into illegal dumping.

They arrived around 11 a.m. and stayed until after sundown.

The DEC says agents were executing a search warrant at 1600 Harrison Avenue in conjunction with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.

The facility houses several different hauling and trucking businesses, and Newsday reports that the DEC investigation is linked to potential illegal dumping. 

"If they are dumping stuff that is toxic, then I think it's a big deal," says Bernie Martin, a local resident.

Adrienne Esposito of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment says it is indeed a big deal.

"The idea is to prevent toxic dumping," she says. "This raid by the DEC really shows an aggressive stance by the DEC to really stop illegal dumping of toxic materials -- rather than for us to clean it up after the fact."

The property owners did not appear to be at the scene as investigators continued to search trucks and materials. 

Officials said no one at the scene was available to comment.