Police last week recovered more than 40 birds believed to be part of an illegal cockfighting ring in Bodden Town.
Cockfighting equipment, including bird cages, spurs, knives, artificial claws and a dummy bird, were discovered at the address on Fig Tree Drive. Police warned one man that he could be prosecuted for cruelty to animals.
The discovery was made during a day-long police operation in the eastern districts on Friday, 31 Jan., to address concerns in the community.
RCIPS officers from the Traffic Management, Firearms Response, Uniform Operations, and Community Policing units were joined by staff from Customs and Border Control and the Department of Agriculture.
The team visited various locations throughout the eastern districts to “disrupt antisocial behavior and illegal activity”, the RCIPS said in a press release.
The operations resulted in multiple arrests and prosecutions, along with the recovery of property used in illegal activity, according to police.
Multiple arrests
Over the course of the day, two men were arrested on suspicion of illegal gambling. One man was arrested at Coe Wood Beach, and another at an address on North Side Road.
One man was arrested by CBC at an address on Bodden Town Road for overstaying, having been on island illegally since 2022. This followed another overstaying arrest made in East End on Wednesday, 29 Jan.
Throughout the day, the RCIPS said, officers also seized almost $4,000 in cash, along with the cockfighting and gambling equipment. These matters remain under investigation by the police. In addition, 12 people were ticketed for speeding in the area.
“These operations come as part of our continued efforts to target antisocial and illegal activities, which often fuel more serious crime,” said Inspector Kevin Bogle, area commander for the eastern districts.
“We are thankful to the members of the community for relaying their concerns to us, and to our partners for their support in this initiative. The public can look forward to ongoing operations targeting known areas of concern, as we work to make the Eastern Districts, and Cayman as a whole, safer.”
Blight of blood sport
Cockfighting, where two roosters are placed in a small ring where they fight to the death, is said to be one of the world’s oldest spectator ‘sports’. It is illegal in many countries, including the Cayman Islands, and is often linked to other crimes, such as gambling, robbery or drug use.
Birds are often specially bred for their aggression, mutilated and forced to live in terrible conditions, and will often wear sharpened weapons to inflict maximum damage on the opponent during a fight.
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