Police have dismantled an illegal cockfighting gambling operation in a forested area of Bukit Lagong, with 22 men, including Indonesian nationals, arrested during a raid on Saturday.
The operation, carried out at about 4pm, was led by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Sungai Buloh District Police Headquarters in collaboration with the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). The suspects, aged between their 20s and 70s, were detained on site.
Authorities said the location was not only used for cockfighting but is also believed to have functioned as a hub for other illegal gambling activities, including “bola golek” betting and public lottery games.
Police believe the site had been operating for about a month prior to the raid. One Indonesian national is suspected of being the organiser of the cockfighting activities.
During the operation, police also seized 12 live roosters and one dead bird to assist investigations. The total value of the seizure is estimated at around RM18,000.
Some suspects reportedly attempted to flee during the raid but were successfully apprehended by enforcement officers.
Sungai Buloh District Police Chief, Mohd Hafiz Muhammad Nor, said initial investigations found that betting amounts for each game ranged between RM500 and RM3,000.
He added that 12 of those detained were Indonesian nationals, and further investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the syndicate’s operations.
The case is being investigated under Section 7(2) of the Open House Gambling Act 1953, Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, as well as Sections 32(1) and 32(2) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015.
