Police arrested 72 men and shut down an illegal cockfighting and gambling operation concealed within a banana plantation near Bayu Perdana Apartments in Klang, according to early reports from the New Straits Times.
The raid, carried out by Selangor police’s D7 Division alongside the state’s Veterinary Services Department, followed two weeks of surveillance on the site.
Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the activities were orchestrated by an Indonesian man who had not only set up the makeshift arena but had also placed stickers bearing his own name over a nearby street sign in an effort to disguise the location. Two individuals are believed to be the main organisers, while the remaining 70 detainees comprised 41 Malaysians and 31 foreign nationals.
During the operation, police confiscated RM55,075 (US$11,700) in cash, gambling paraphernalia and 18 chickens, four of which were found dead and believed to have been killed during the matches. Officers also discovered dice and other tools inside a treehouse used as part of the gambling setup.
Initial findings indicate that the syndicate had been operating for around six months, staging cockfighting sessions every Sunday. Bets reportedly reached as high as RM10,000 per match, drawing participants aged between 20 and 70.
All suspects are being held at the Klang Selatan district police headquarters as investigations continue under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, Section 32 of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Shazeli said police will intensify enforcement efforts against illegal gambling operations and urged members of the public to report suspicious activities to help protect community safety.
Authorities are investigating offenses under the Common Gaming Houses Act, the Animal Welfare Act and the Immigration Act
