TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan City police raided a 20-year-old pigeon racing club in Jiali District, confiscating documents, and bank accounts, and taking seven people into custody on June 7.

Last year, Tainan police conducted a similar raid on a pigeon racing club in nearby Madou District, which had been used as a front for gambling, racing fixing, and other improper activities. Information from the previous raid tipped off authorities to the activities taking place in Jiali.

Altogether, NT$110 million (US$3.4 million) was uncovered in the ten bank accounts seized by officials. Police estimate betting on the spring pigeon racing season reached NT$56 million, per CNA.

Tainan police raided the club before summer races were scheduled to start.  Approximately 4,000 pigeons were expected to participate.

In addition to gambling activities, authorities believe the race violates animal protection laws. For example, the spring racing season saw 1,349 racing pigeons participate, with only 15 finishing the race. The race completion rate was only 1.11%, with the remaining race pigeons either lost or dead due to the extreme nature of the race.

Racing pigeon owners say it takes six months to raise a pigeon and approximately five months to train it to fly for an hour or two. When released off the coast of Tainan for sea training, many pigeons were forced to fly anywhere from 170 to 337 kilometers, facing strong winds and rain, which made completing the race difficult.

Many believe that racing pigeons over such distances leading to high mortality rates can be cruel.