Updated | Police bust Qormi cockfighting ring, 25 arrested

Police arrest 25 people in suspected cockfighting farm in tal-Handaq, limits of Qormi

Around 25 people were arrested this morning in connection with a cockfighting ring, police confirmed with MaltaToday.

The arrests were made on a farm in tal-Handaq, limits of Qormi, after police received a tip-off that a cockfight was in progress on the farm.

At about 8:00am, several police officers - including officers from the Rapid Intervention Unit, the Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) unit, as well as officials form the Animal Welfare Department - converged on the suspected cockfighting farm where they observed several roosters and a small crowd of spectators.

Informed sources said that as soon as the police arrived at the farm, at least six men were seen fleeing the farm and running towards a nearby valley.

The men, together with the owner of the farm and spectators who are suspected to have betted on the outcome of the fights, were detained shortly after. Sources said the farm was running as a rooster farm, and also had a cockpit used for cockfighting. Police also discovered numerous cages used to transport roosters, as well as an area for spectators.

The police also discovered around 60 roosters that were allegedly going to be used in cockfighting.

Three roosters were found with grievous injuries, TVM news reported. It was also reported that the owner of the farm is also suspected of raising roosters in the farm, and that he then sells them for illegal cockfights.

Police investigations are ongoing.