Roughly 3,500 cockfighting birds were recovered by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department during a six-week-long summer investigation called operation “Crowing Rooster.”
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Fifty-six people, including one minor, were arrested on suspicion of felony and misdemeanor offenses including animal cruelty when investigators served 26 search warrants throughout San Bernardino County between June 14 and August 1, according to a news release. All the birds were handed over to the county’s Animal Care Services.
Investigators also seized more than $259,000, 12 firearms (including three ghost guns), 12 ounces of cocaine, 11.5 ounces of methamphetamine, and six grams of fentanyl worth around $11,000.
Those arrested range in age from 16 to 71, the sheriff’s department said.