KENINGAU: Seven men were arrested on suspicion of involvement in cockfighting gambling during a raid in Kampung Kadalakan here at about 1.30pm on Monday.
Keningau Deputy Police Chief DSP Alizam Dalaman said a team comprising General Operations Force personnel, police and officers from the Sabah Veterinary Services Department conducted the raid following information received.
Advertisement
He said the suspects aged between 32 and 61 were detained for suspected involvement in the activity.
Of the total, three were locals while four were Indonesians and one was a Filipino.
Police checks found that two of the foreign suspects did not possess valid travel documents, while urine screening tests conducted on all detainees returned negative results for drugs.
Among items seized were a sling bag, 40 multicoloured betting slips, four live fighting cocks, four dead fighting cocks, nine gaff knives, RM7,250 in cash and a red wooden box used to place the birds.
The seized birds were handed over to the Keningau Veterinary Services Department for further action.
Initial investigations found that all suspects admitted involvement in the gambling activity, while one claimed to be the organiser, stating the event was held in conjunction with a family’s 100-day post-confinement ceremony and that he also sold food and drinks at the location.
Police also found a temporary cockfighting ring marked with white lines in an open area surrounded by village houses.
All suspects and seized items were taken to the district police headquarters for further action, and the suspects were remanded until Feb 20 to assist investigations under Section 21 of the Animal Welfare Enactment 2015.
