In September 2014, ARM undercover investigators began long-range surveillance of a property located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, just minutes from a busy shopping center – Dolphin Mall. When ARM investigators first passed by this property labeled “Coco Farm,” advertised animal sales were noted, and suspicions of illegal animal slaughter arose. ARM then began its six-month-long investigation of the targeted property.

The operation required ARM to investigate deep undercover and to document and expose the extent of extreme animal cruelty crimes regularly occurring at this property. Footage taken from covert cameras by ARM confirmed that farmworkers were continually conducting illegal activities and brutal mistreatment upon animals.

ARM undercover operatives entered the targeted property on multiple occasions beginning on Christmas Eve 2014, known in the Latin community as ‘Noche Buena.’ On this highly celebrated Hispanic holiday, countless animals are purchased and slaughtered for human consumption, generating a substantial profit for operations like “Coco Farm” and bringing a vast number of customers to buy meat.

ARM investigators documented workers demonstrating extreme acts of animal cruelty, including; illegal and inhumane handling, butchering, and sales of animals for human consumption. Animals upon ‘Coco Farm,’ were also being traded on the black market for Black Magic and Voodoo sacrifice.

During these investigations, ARM undercover operatives witnessed pigs stabbed in the heart, left to bleed out, and then butchered while still conscious. ARM also documented were multiple goats being packed into 9 1/2 inch high chicken crates for transport to the kill area. The goats were then hung upside down by their hind legs, throats slashed, and their heads twisted off completely, all while still alive and breathing.

Some goats were skinned alive by farmworkers before being butchered to death.

Besides, documented by ARM investigators, customers carried their children as they watched the animal slaughter take place.

In addition to the magnitude of illegal and inhumane animal handling and slaughter carried out by farm workers, the animals on this farm did not have proper care, food, water, and shelter. They were kept in small pens and cages with dying or already dead animals and surrounded by rotting carcasses. Many of these animals were riddled with disease, sores, and were gravely ill. Aside from the cruelty and neglect, the animals were unsuitable for human consumption, but that did not stop farmworkers from selling these animals for this exact purpose.

Following ARM’s independent undercover investigations, ARM presented the evidence of illegal activity on “Coco Farm” to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and Miami-Dade Organized Crime Unit. Joint forces resulted in one of the most extensive raids ARM has completed in its existence, successfully shutting down a property that had been illegally operated on for decades and survived its crimes because of a lack of proper enforcement.

With the unbelievable efforts made by the State Attorneys office, Katherine Rundle, and Organized Crime Units,  thousands of animals destined for a life of torture and suffering are now free from abuse and slaughter and animal cruelty crimes are taken with the utmost severity.

Law enforcement arrested the ‘evil mastermind’ and owner of the property “Gregorio Santa Ana” and 3 of his butcherers Jose, Henry, and Rubin Rodriguez during the large scale raid on Thursday 12, March 2015.

During the raid, almost 10,000 animals recovered. 

Follow updates of this investigation on ARM’s website.