Miami-Dade authorities dismantle cockfighting operation

The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office and Animal Services officials uncovered an alleged underground cockfighting operation during a search of a five-acre property in the Redland agricultural area. Authorities discovered hundreds of roosters showing signs of previous fighting, such as open wounds, missing feathers, and cropped combs.

The site featured multiple training pits and a large, permanent fighting arena equipped with numbered spectator seating and a scoreboard to track wins and losses. Investigators also seized various items used to prepare the birds, including vitamins, syringes, medications, stimulants, and spurs.

Two men were arrested in connection with the operation. Jesús Fabian Oliva, 41, the property owner, faces charges including organizing animal fights, animal cruelty, and public health risks. Ángel Ponce-Maqueda, 29, was found in a trailer on the premises surrounded by caged roosters and training equipment. While Oliva claimed the facilities were no longer in use, the presence of the animals and specialized equipment led to the charges.