Horsley Park cockfighting ring smashed: 540 roosters seized

More than 500 roosters, chickens and fighting cockerels have been seized as investigations continue into a cockfighting syndicate.

An illegal cockfighting ring has been crushed after more than 500 roosters were seized by police and RSPCA in Sydney’s west.

Police said they uncovered 540 fighting cockerels, roosters, chickens and cockfighting paraphernalia during a search for a Horsley Park property yesterday morning.

A crime scene was established and a man was briefly detained by police before being released.

Organised Crime Squad detectives and the RSPCA seized 540 roosters.

An RSPCA prepares to remove some of the roosters from the compound yesterday.

Detectives have seized a further 540 roosters as investigations continue into the activities of an illegal cockfighting syndicate. Picture: supplied

Police executed a search warrant at a property at Horsley Park from 11am yesterday. Picture: supplied

The massive seizure comes as NSW Police and the RSPCA investigate illegal cockfighting syndicates in Sydney.

Last December, detectives uncovered a property that had a designated cockfighting area in Camden.

Police said investigations are continuing. Picture: supplied

At the property police also found cages for the animals as well as metal spikes and spurs.

The search allegedly uncovered 71 fighting cockerels, metal spikes, spurs and other cockfighting paraphernalia.

Following the raid on the Camden property in December, 34 men were charged with related offences.

The men appeared in court in February.

Five of the men pleaded guilty to being involved in the syndicate.

For those not giving a plea of guilty, the magistrate asked the police prosecutor to provide a brief of evidence before the matter returns to Picton Local Court in April.

RSPCA CEO Steve Coleman said the haul was much greater than what they expected.

“There’s never a dull moment. We work alongside the NSW police force, all of the intel received that there was something in the order of about 40 fighting roosters, getting the call from our team that there was 540 was quite confronting,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

“For this type of activity to be continuing in 2021 is just despicable.

“These are 540 fighting roosters who are born and bred to fight. We have to house them individually until we find out who owns them.”