By PNA
Cavite - Operatives of the Police Provincial Office (PPO) arrested Friday six Korean nationals suspected of running a massive, high-tech dog-fighting operation in Indang town where matches were shown online to overseas bettors, police on Saturday said.
Cavite PPO director Sr. Supt. John Bulalacao identified the Korean suspects as Kim Jeong Py, 40; Kim Su Jeong, 27; Kim Sang Hyun, 28; Kang Jun Ho, 28; Lee Han Gu, 33; and Kim Min, 31 -- all temporarily residing at the Summit Ridge Hotel in Tagaytay City.
Bulalacao said policemen confiscated some 250 pitbulls in a raid Friday evening from a secluded compound in Indang town where the dogs were kept and where matches were being held.
He said that at least 17 Filipinos who work as dog keepers for the Koreans were also arrested.
Bulalacao said that acting on a tip-off, Chief Insp. Gil Toralba, deputy chief of Cavite Intelligence Bureau, and representatives of the Animal Kingdom Foundation, swooped down on a warehouse in Barangay Mahabang Kahoy, Indang town and apprehended the suspects Friday at around 8 p.m.
The dog-fighting operation in Indang had been going on for more than a month now, and sometimes dogs would die from their injuries, Supt. Rome Valero of the Cavite PPO Intelligence Group, said.
Valero said the Koreans built an arena enclosed with mirrors, had videocams, computers and show live fights of the pitbulls... on their website in Korea.
He also said that no dead animals were found at the compound although some of the dogs were suffering wounds from recent battles.
Bulalacao said the Koreans don’t speak in English and it was not yet known how long they had been in the country. One Korean claimed they did not know dog fighting was illegal in the Philippines, he said.
Police said the dogs were turned over to a local animal shelter in Cavite province.
Bulalacao said the arrested Koreans, including the Filipino caretakers, would be charged with violation of Section 6 of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.
He said the suspects also face charges for illegal gambling, even if no money was seized since the betting took place in South Korea.
Bulalacao said that if convicted, the suspects could face six months to two years in jail. He said the police were still trying to contact the South Korean embassy for comment.
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Topic: Dog-fighting Operation in Cavite, Philippines Busted (Read 770 times)