What began as a routine traffic stop on July 27 resulted in the discovery of evidence associated with illegal cockfighting.
During the investigation, Lakeland Police officers recovered marijuana along with numerous items used in the training and preparation of fighting roosters, including cockfighting knives (also known as slashers), knife-mounting devices, sparring muffs used to condition birds for fighting, double-edge razor blades, rooster conditioning supplements used to improve stamina and recovery in fighting roosters, and other equipment commonly associated with organized animal fighting.
Based on the evidence recovered and statements made during the investigation, the driver, 38-year-old Baltazar Mandujano, was arrested and charged with:
- Possession of Equipment Used for Animal Fighting (F3)
- Possession of Marijuana Under 20 Grams and drug paraphernalia (M1)
*info provided by Lakeland PD
