Antelope Valley cockfighting operation: 228 roosters, hundreds of pounds of marijuana seized in raid

JUNIPER HILLS, Calif. (CNS) -- A national animal-advocacy group on Friday hailed authorities for raiding an apparent cockfighting operation in the Antelope Valley, where hundreds of pounds of marijuana were also seized.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials announced the raid in the Juniper Hills area Thursday, saying the agency worked with the SPCA-Los Angeles and county Department of Regional Planning, seizing 228 fighting roosters.

Between 500 and 600 pounds of marijuana were also seized, with an estimated street value of $500,000, sheriff's officials said. One person was arrested and investigators seized a .22-caliber rifle.

"Cockfighting and illegal trafficking of drugs run hand in hand," Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action, said in a statement Friday.

"The northern, remote parts of Los Angeles County have long been a hotspot for illegal cockfighting operations, and here we see this plain evidence of this organized criminal activity again," Pacelle said. "We are grateful to law enforcement and other key players for shutting down this operation. We ask the public to send up tips on illegal cockfighting operations at animalcrueltytips@animalwellnessaction.org."

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