Large Texas Cockfighting Bust: 100 out of 176 Suspects Illegal Immigrants
One Hundred Illegal Immigrants Busted at Illegal Texas Cockfight: Children, Drugs, Dead, Injured Birds, Money Left Behind After Other Suspects Flee
Cockfighting in Puerto Rico
As barbaric as cockfighting may seem to the majority of Americans, the once practiced and now illegal bloodsport is undergoing a resurgence in a certain segment of the population, which, in some cases, the media is loathe to report. A resurgence which has ties to Mexican drug trafficking cartels, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana in Tennessee as well as money laundering, and, an illegal immigrant crime syndicate in Arizona involved in kidnappings, home invasions, and armed robberies.
On January 3rd the media reported on a large cockfighting ring bust in Poolville,Texas, about an hour’s drive north-west of Fort Worth where over a 150 suspects were arrested. According to news accounts, children ages 7-15 were involved while many of the suspects fled the scene leaving behind birds-some seriously injured, others dead- as well as drugs, and, children. Also reported, the several agencies involved in the bust including helicopters from the Texas Dept. of Public Safety, the Texas Highway Patrol, the Weatherford Police Department, and the Humane Society. What was scarcely, if not reported at all, just who the majority of the suspects were: illegal immigrants.
NBC’s Dallas-Ft.Worth news reported Over 100 Arrested in Cockfighting Bust:
More than a hundred people are under arrest in Parker County Saturday night after investigators there raided an illegal rooster fight. Sheriff Deputies say the group gathered in a rural area north of Weatherford near Poolville.
The Parker County Sheriff’s department says deputies found more than a hundred birds, some badly injured, others dead. In addition, officers found drugs and children abandoned by fleeing parents as officers raided the scene. Those kids were taken into the custody of Child Protective Services while dozens of adults were sent to jail.
The bust occurred just after 3pm while the authorities believed the suspects were part of a cockfighting ring in Northern Parker County. According to the Parker County Sheriff, cockfighting was crime he’d hadn’t encountered in the past 5 years as County Sheriff.
More on the cockfight:
“We probably have somewhere between 90 and 110 birds,” said John Goodwin with the Humane Society. “We found about 5 or 6 that were already dead. Graphic injuries. I mean chests cut open, internal organs coming out.”
Goodwin says the severity of the birds injuries can be attributed to how the owners of the birds prepared them before each fight.
“They had brought these little one and a half inch knives to tie to their heels,” said Goodwin. “So when they were fighting they were cutting and slashing each other to pieces.”
According to the Star-Telegram, the number arrested was 176, while the suspects faced charges that ranged from animal cruelty to gambling. Some of the suspects were released after paying a $300 fine. Child Protective Services were called to help authorities with 10 to 15 children who were at the cockfight, which we assume, were some of the children “left behind”.
Out of the more than a dozen news stories on the cockfight bust the Telegram was the only source who reported 100 of the 176 suspects were illegal immigrants.
On January 1, 2009, a massive cockfighting ring in Tennessee involving a Mexican drug cartel was shut down by the Feds. From Newschannel5.com:
While targeting a Mexican drug cartel in December, DEA officials discovered that drug traffickers were also running a massive cock fighting arena in Cumberland County, Tenn.
“We found a number of chickens used in cockfighting, a large and extensive operation,” said Harry Sommers with U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Authorities confiscated weapons, hundreds of pounds of marijuana and evidence the suspects not only participated in cock fighting – they also gloated about it. According to Sommers, officials found razors that were attached to the birds and trophies symbolizing victories in cock-fighting.
“It’s a very major part of the drug trade in Tennessee,” McCollum said.
In January of 2007, USA Today published Cockfighting’s ‘cultural tradition’ kept alive in USA claiming “immigration has helped fuel the popularity of cockfighting, a common practice in some countries that is illegal in most of the USA”.
By the end of 2007, cockfighting had become illegal in all 50 states.
From USA Today:
“It’s definitely on the rise,” says Wayne Pacelle, head of the Humane Society of the United States. Pacelle says the Internet has helped connect cockfighters. He also cites increased involvement of immigrants from countries such as Mexico and the Philippines. “It’s legal in a lot of places where there’s significant immigration to the United States,” he says. “You’re seeing participation from people of those nations.”
And,
“Animal control officer James Lopez says the practice is especially popular in Denver’s Mexican community. “It’s legal in Mexico, so a lot of people come up here and feel they should be able to do it here, too,” he says.”
It’s not just cockfighting that was involved but also drugs and participants with criminal records:
“About 150 birds were confiscated in one case after a drug bust led to a broader investigation. “We often find that the people arrested have other criminal records,” Raney says.”
Today, California Rep. Elton Gallegly, a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, reposted on the 24th Congressional District of California on-line blog, Animal Welfare: Cruelty barbaric in itself, and tied to other offenses. In the post, Gallegly cited various cases related to animal cruelty, immigration and cockfighting and how they’re related to other crimes:
• When San Luis Obispo County, Calif., authorities raided an alleged international cockfighting operation earlier this year, in addition to retrieving 1,000 roosters, fighting and training equipment and bird performance-enhancing drugs, authorities also confiscated cocaine, marijuana and a pound of methamphetamine.
• In Phoenix, police shut down a crime syndicate that preyed on illegal immigrants, subjecting them to kidnappings, home invasions and armed robberies. Members of the syndicate also are accused of raising roosters for illegal cockfighting matches. A January raid uncovered weapons, a bullet-resistant vest, cash, ammo and 31 fighting roosters.
• In Tennessee, federal authorities arrested members of a Mexican drug trafficking cartel in December known as the Gulf Cartel. The operation led agents to a group of drug traffickers who ran a large gambling enterprise in Tennessee that included a massive and intricate cockfighting enterprise that one federal official called the “largest†he has ever seen in the United States. The Gulf Cartel is responsible for transporting multi-ton quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana into the United States from Colombia, Guatemala, Panama and Mexico, as well as distributing narcotics within the United States. The Gulf Cartel is also believed to have laundered multiple millions of dollars in criminal proceeds.
The site Gomanzanillo.com posted an account of Cockfighting in Manzanillo,
a tradition that’s still popular in Mexico.
Cockfighting in Manzanillo is like a family picnic, or going to a baseball game. Beer and soft drinks are sold, as are tacos and other snacks. Entire families come and bring the kids. Although more men attend a cockfight than women, many dads bring their young sons to introduce them to the tradition.
The kids not only watch the fight, but play around the dead losers, and it doesn’t seem to have much impact. It’s just something they all grow up with. Groups in the United states, such as Citizens Against Cockfighting, based in Phoenix, say that it teaches children to relish violence. Looking at the kids in Manzanillo who attend cockfights, they appear to be inured to the brutality of a cockfight, rather than enjoying it.
While cockfighting may be a tradition in Mexico, cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states of the U.S.. Even so, in some areas of the U.S., cockfighting is seeing a resurgence while involving Mexican drug cartels and crime syndicates. The latest cockfight bust in Texas purportedly involved a high number of illegal immigrants, drugs, and children which for some reason the majority of news reports were loathe to report the participants were illegal immigrants.
By LBG and Rides a Pale Horse
Image – Cockfighter
I’ve been to a lot of cockfights. I have never seen illegal drugs there. There is quite a bit of drinking though. Actually, most of the people I see at the pits I go to are not illegal aliens at all. Most of them are pure blooded Americans…
I’ve been going since I was a kid and I have found great pleasure as an adult being involved in the sport. My family has fought gamecocks for generations. Its a tradition that has been passed on from father to son.
Contrary to what the media wants you to think, the majority of people involved in cockfighting are good hardworking folks from all walks of life.
I have met state senators, ministers, police, deputies, a sheriff, moms, etc… all at cockfights and as participating cockers.
There may be drugs there sometimes but thats true today about any gathering over a hundred people. Its virtually guaranteed at least one guy has drugs. Its true even in church and I’d bet if you emptied the senate floor during full session, it’d be true there too.
So, trying to make cockers look bad by associating them with drug addicts and anything else which the current public might find distasteful is just a tactic used by people who are against the sport.
The problem can be boiled down to the fact that people have forgotten to “live and let live.” Too many people think its ok to arbitrarily remove the rights, freedoms, liberties and traditions of others just because they don’t agree. They stumble through life, see someone do something they don’t agree with and think, “hmm, he shouldn’t be allowed to do that…”, and they call their congressman to rant with moral indignation at the depravity of others.
The next thing you know, they’ve convinced themselves they are doing something moral and right when in fact, and new laws are passed that wipe away centuries of tradition.
They are, in fact, acting against their own long-term self interest. Someday, someone is going to see them do something and think, “hmmm, he shouldn’t be allowed to do that…”
And finally, Uncle Sam, please quit taking my money at gun point to pay other people (law enforcement) to infringe the rights and liberty of others(citizens).
As a member of a free society, I give you my brother the freedom to do as you wish. I ask only that you refrain from harming other people. Everything else should be permissible and between you and God…
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I agree that it is not just a hispanic tradition but world wide. The issue of violence imposed on young sons is rediculous. I grew up. With cockfighting, I grew up just fine. All those who disagree are ignorant and should stop pushing their opinions on others. You should focus more on how we can eliminate rapist, drug dealers etc. My opinio. We should warrant the death penalty . But wait folks that disagree would say otherwise. Why?because you all are not the victims. I am sick of how you complain about cockfighting when you eat your bucket of KFC chicken. Wonder how they killed those poor chickens? … Could i get it original. Pathetic!
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cockfighting has also been a big part of my life and nothing negative came of it. its a aport that even our forfathers enjoyed. all kinds of people hang out to gether at these gatherings white coller with blue coller, for those who complain about it think about whether its a fellow cockfighter who is defending you in court, giving you financial advice, put the soles on your shoes, or even gave you the chicken looking hair styl.
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