KOTA KINABALU: Police have dismantled an illegal cockfighting gang involving Philippines-bred fighting cocks in Sabah’s eastern district of Tawau.
The operation involved two separate raids with total seizures amounting to RM3.28mil.
Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Azmi Abu Kassim said four foreign nationals and a local man, aged between 31 and 57, were arrested and 622 fighting cocks seized.
Led by the department’s Wildlife Crime Bureau/Special Investigation Intelligence, the raid was carried out at 2.30pm under the Integrated Khazanah operation in Kampung Apas Parit and Kampung Membalua.
Officers from the Tawau District Police Headquarters, Tawau’s Battalion 14 of the General Operations Force and enforcement personnel from the Veterinary Services Department Tawau branch were also involved.
Azmi said the first raid took place at a house in Kampung Apas Parit, Jalan Apas Parit, and led to the arrest of four men, two Indonesians and two Filipinos, aged between 31 and 52.
“A total of 470 fighting cocks were found at the premises, along with 40 cockfighting blades, 180 containers of vitamins, and 500 specially-designed cages used for the birds,” he said in a statement on Sunday (July 20).
The second raid was at Kampung Membalua off Jalan Apas, resulting in the arrest of a 57-year-old local man, along with the seizure of 152 live fighting cocks, also believed to have been imported illegally.
All five individuals are being investigated under Section 15(1) of the Animal Enactment 2015 for the possession of animals without a licence.
The foreign nationals are also being probed under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for not possessing valid travel documents and working without permits.
They are also being investigated under Section 6 of the Dangerous Weapons Act 1958 for the possession of sharp blades suspected to be used for cockfighting purposes.
“This operation is part of ongoing efforts to combat all forms of illegal cockfighting and gambling activities in the state,” said Azmi.
