Sheriff: 200 roosters, chickens seized in cockfighting, pot ring

CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — More than 200 roosters trained for fighting and 17 pounds of pot were discovered at a home 10 minutes outside of Chester, according to Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood.
 
Underwood said it was part of an elaborate cockfighting and marijuana growing operation. Deputies asked Eyewitness News not to disclose the address of the property.
 
"It's off the road where nobody would know what was going on," said Underwood.
 
The Chester County Sheriff's Office told Eyewitness News that it got a tip about a marijuana grow operation mid-morning on Friday. Investigators monitored the property from the woods and saw suspects attempting to burn marijuana and growing equipment in the yard.
 
"I think they were a little bit antsy about law enforcement coming because of the tip we got," said Underwood.
 
Investigators then searched the property and found the physically modified roosters as well as a ring for fighting and weigh scale.
 
Deputies arrested Vidal Osa and Odalmis Labanino of Chester, South Carolina, Reinier Guerra of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Pablo Delgado of Love Oak, Florida, and Gladis Iriarte of Miami Garden, Florida.
 
"This is a major, a major incident here in Chester," said Underwood.
 
Underwood said they obtained information about possible customers and additional properties that might have been connected. He said it will likely lead to additional arrests.

WSOC