Authorities have made an arrest in a suspected cockfighting operation on a property in southwest Miami-Dade after a man was detained during a planned search. Alfredo Miranda, 62, is facing serious charges related to this alleged brutal sport, including owning or managing property for animal fighting and possessing animals for fighting.
Deputies responding to the scene reportedly found several roosters with shaved feathers in cages, suggesting preparation for fighting. An enclosed cockfighting ring was also discovered, complete with seats labeled by numbers implying accommodations for spectators. Arrested yesterday, Miranda has since been booked with a $5,000 bond, as conveyed by NBC Miami.
Building upon the initial findings, Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office had been eyeing the location, nestled near the 19500 block of Southwest 202nd Street, as a possible hub for cockfighting activities. Upon searching the property, detectives stumbled upon not just the roosters and fighting arena but also auxiliary items such as a digital scale, syringes, medication, and vitamins designed for the roosters, alongside ledgers detailing past cockfights.
As explained by Local 10 News, agents uncovered Miranda's premises brimming with the sound of crowing roosters, which pointed them toward the operation. Detained while detectives executed the search warrant, Miranda was read his rights in Spanish and agreed to converse with investigators, though his statements have been redacted in the released report.
This is not Miranda's first brush with the law on similar accusations; jail records indicate a previous bond laid out in another animal fighting case. Presently, Miranda is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond remains set at $5,000.
