Malaysia cracks down on illegal gambling, arrests five, seizes hundreds of fighting cocks

• Tawau Police, in collaboration with several other agencies, executed search warrants at two residences suspected of being used for illegal cockfights
• Law enforcement detained five people who are suspected of being involved in the unlawful activities
• Hundreds of live birds, gaffs, as well as medication were discovered and seized by police

A cockfighting ring bust in Malaysia resulted in the arrest of several individuals and the seizure of hundreds of animals.

While it is often called a sport, cockfighting is prohibited in countries across the globe due to the activity's cruel nature which involves pitting live animals that fight to their death.

Five people were arrested in two raids against cockfighting gambling activities

Two raids have taken place in private residences in Tawau, Sabah, the New Straits Times has announced.

The operation was conducted by the Bukit Aman's Wildlife Crime Bureau – Special Intelligence and Investigation Unit in collaboration with the Tawau Police and officers from the Veterinary Service Department in Tawau.

Officers with the 14th Battalion of the General Operations Force also participated in the two raids that took place on Thursday.

According to Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim, the Department Director of the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order, five people, suspected of being involved in the cockfighting operation were detained.

"The operation was launched to combat cockfighting gambling activities in Sabah," he said, quoted by the local media outlet.

Currently, law enforcement is looking into potential crimes under Sections 55B and 39B and 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act of 1959 and 1963, Section 6 of the 1958 Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act and Section 15(1) of the Animal Enactment of 2015.

More than 600 cocks were found and seized

During one of the raids at a house in Kampung Membalua Off Jalan Apas in Tawau, police arrested a 57-year-old local resident.

On site, law enforcement found and seized a total of 152 live fighting cocks, suspected of being a Filipino breed.

During a separate raid at a private residence in Kampung Apas Parit, Jalan Apas Parit in Tawau, two Filipino and two Indonesian men between the ages of 31 and 52 were arrested.

At that address, police uncovered and seized 470 fighting cocks.

On site, police found and seized 40 gaffs, sharp blades that are attached to the feet of the birds.

Law enforcement also uncovered hundreds of bottles and boxes of vitamins and other paraphernalia, along with 500 cockfighting coops and cages.

The overall value of the seized assets by law enforcement is an estimated RM3.3m or approximately $780,000.

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