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Roosters made for cockfighting are in the backyard of a home in Visalia, California June 2012.
(Alex Gallardo/for the Humane Society of the United States)
It's the largest cockfighting weapons raid in u-s history. It happened at this home on Avenue 309, in Visalia.
Eric Sakach: "Tulare County's been known throughout law enforcement agencies in California as a bit of a hot spot."
This video was shot by investigators with the humane society of the united states. Nearly 400 birds were rescued. A number of them were found with injuries. More than 1,100 cockfighting knives were also found. But that wasn't all they seized.
"Spurring muffs, conditioning equipment for getting them in condition for fighting, video tapes of fights on that property. We found an incredible amount of intelligence, shipping records to people all over the us. Not just in Tulare County."
Juan Carlos Gonzalez and his wife, Leticia Gonzalez were arrested. Each face more than 1,100 charges related to cockfighting. Detectives say the raid comes after a year long investigation. It started after they found underground cockfighting advertisements in a Mexican magazine.
"It mentioned a U.S. rep by the name of Juan Carlos Gonzalez with a Visalia telephone number."
Investigators say they got an even bigger break last month when Leticia Gonzalez was stopped at the U.S./Mexican border. Law enforcement found hundreds of cockfighting knives in her possession.
Most of the birds were euthanized, on site. Only a couple dozen were saved for investigation purposes.
Paul Grenseman: "It's really terrible and i think that's why throughout our valley and our communities here, we need to put a stop to this sort of thing."
TXT 24
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