Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials, along with several other agencies, conducted a search warrant operation in Val Verde and found the largest seizure of fowl used in cockfighting in the history of the U.S. on Monday.

Earlier in the year, deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Community Partnerships Bureau Blood Sport Crime Team, received information regarding a residence located on the 29000 block of Jackson Street, in Val Verde, Calif., caring for a large cache of fowl used in illegal cockfighting.

On May, 15, 2017, detectives, accompanied by members of the Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control; the Los Angeles County District Attorney, Bureau of Investigation; the Humane Society of the United States, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) conducted a search warrant operation on a rural 80 acre property as part of a month’s long investigation.

During the course of the warrant service, approximately 100 law enforcement personnel located and seized approximately 7000 fowl used in illegal cockfighting, as well as several mobile fighting rings, gaffs (razor hook implements attached to the roosters claws), medications, and other items indicative of illegal cock fighting. Based on preliminary information, this is the largest seizure of its kind in current U.S. History.

Due to the fact these animals are sold at an average price ranging from $50 USD to $1500 USD, this seizure had an estimated cost ranging from $350,000 up to $10,500,000 dollars. Also, located were several dead roosters with wounds symptomatic of illegal cockfighting.

According to The Humane Society of the United States, cockfighting is between two roosters fighting each other to death. Cockfighters, or rooster handlers, let those birds who suffer injuries during cockfights go untreated or throw the birds away in the trash afterwards. Having the birds fight to death along with letting them go untreated is not only cruel but, often times goes hand-in-hand with gambling, drug-dealing, illegal gun sales and murder.

Although, no arrests have currently been made, several people have been detained, suspects are currently being identified, and the investigation is still ongoing.

Captain Jeff Perry stated, “Any kind of animal blood sport activity will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County. If anyone has information about any type of animal blood sport activity, I urge you to call your local law enforcement agency.”

Anyone with information about this current investigation, please contact Community Partnerships Bureau at 323-981-5300. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

You may also report any suspected criminal animal fighting to our law enforcement partners:

Los Angeles County District Attorney, Bureau of Investigations
http://da.lacounty.gov/

County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control
http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/acc

The Humane Society of the United States
www.humanesociety.org

Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty Los Angeles
https://spcala.com/