This operation, like all cockfighting arenas, also included drugs, dead animals
Washington, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy applaud San Jacinto County Sheriff’s deputies for making 19 arrests after finding about 300 people at a largescale cockfighting operation at a residence in the county. Officers also confiscated 96 roosters seized from vehicles, cages, and transport boxes.
“We applaud the San Jacinto County Sheriffs’ Office and U.S. Customs Officials for continuing to investigate an illegal cockfighting operation raided on Oct. 15,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “These knife fights involving animals are like so many other spectacles of cruelty — bound up with other crimes, including illegal aliens participating in this mayhem in East Texas.”
According to reports, deputies found a cockfighting arena, and various items of gambling paraphernalia, including a dry erase board which indicated 44 fights had already taken place. Deputies also found several dozen dead roosters, and several live roosters were found still wearing gaffs (razor-sharp blades attached to their legs) in their cages.
Other items seized: gaffs, vitamins, steroids, syringes, food and cages, as well as 43 vehicles, four trailers, five pistols, some marijuana and more than $22,000.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted regarding the arrest of subjects suspected to be undocumented immigrants.