WILLOWBROOK (CBSLA.com) — Century Sheriff’s Station deputies are credited with busting up a cockfighting operation last week.

Officers responded to a call about a possible cockfight in the 2400 block of 130th Street in Willowbrook on Sept. 1.

Authorities said several people were detained and questioned about their participation in the illegal activity.

At the rear of the property, nearly 100 cocks were housed separately in outside coops that contained partitions to prevent the birds from fighting with each other.

The center of the yard contained a boxed in ring where the cockfights were allegedly staged.

Officials said they also found bottles of hormones and syringes. The birds are commonly injected with hormones to increase their size and to make them more aggressive. Another common practice is to attach blades to the birds’ feet to inflict significant, often sometimes fatal, injuries to the opposing bird.

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control officials are now caring for the rescued birds.