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Large cockfighting ring busted in Oceana County

Posted at 4:59 PM, Jun 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-03 16:59:54-04

HART TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Fifteen arrests were made and 16 vehicles were impounded when authorities busted a large cockfighting ring in Oceana County on Saturday.

Troopers from the Michigan State Police Hart Post along with other Oceana County law enforcement agencies (DNR, Oceana County Sheriff’s Department, Oceana County Animal Control, Hart City Police Department, and Pentwater Police Department) took a complaint of a possible large (rooster) animal fight/gambling activity in the area of Hart Twp. in Oceana County on Saturday. Upon arrival at the suspected location, troopers located a large group of people (approximately 30 individuals) on scene who were participating in illegal (rooster) animal fighting/gambling activity.

When law enforcement contacted the large group, many attempted to flee the scene into the dense wooded area surrounding the venue. Many of the individuals who fled were located by troopers and local law enforcement on scene. A MSP K9 assisted at the scene and located six individuals a short distance away who were attempting to hide from law enforcement.

At the scene, there was a large (rooster) animal fighting ring along with 35 live roosters that were either in pens or actively fighting in the woods. There was also a large pit that contained the bodies of 10 dead roosters.

Sixteen vehicles that were on private property were impounded from the scene.

Fifteen individuals were lodged in Oceana County for felony animal fighting.

This complaint is still being investigated by MSP Hart and the names of the subjects arrested will not be released until they have been arraigned in court on Monday.