305 Dogs Rescued, 20 Arrested in Largest Dogfighting Raid in South Carolina History

More than 300 dogs were rescued and 20 people are in custody after South Carolina authorities executed what is said to be the largest dogfighting raid in the state's history.

In a release shared on Monday, the DOJ announced that more than 60 federal agents and state police officers carried out dozens of warrants over the weekend.

On Saturday, authorities stopped a dogfighting match in Richland County and on Sunday, they executed 23 search warrants on properties that had "known dogfighting kennels" or were "associated with dogfighting."

The raids led to the rescue of 305 dogs, and authorities say that at least 275 of them were victims of dogfighting. Twenty people were also arrested on state charges of animal cruelty and dogfighting.

The DOJ added in its release that authorities also seized roughly 30 firearms and $40,000 in cash, along with proof of dogfighting.

The operation "is believed to be the biggest takedown of a dogfighting operation in South Carolina history," the DOJ says.

The Humane Society helped with efforts to recover the dogs, and said in a release shared with PEOPLE that during Sunday's search, it was discovered that dogs had been living in pens outside. Some had also been chained and only had "makeshift shelters" to protect them from bad weather.

The dogs also appeared to be malnourished and "had no apparent access to food or water, despite the sunny and hot weather," per the Humane Society's release.

The agency added that some of the dogs had also suffered "severe scarring, as well as festering open wounds, lacerations and abscesses."

Many of the dogs had critical wounds that forced them to receive urgent treatment after being "penned or chained to trees in the woods."

Though a number of the dogs happily greeted first responders by wagging their tails and licking them, some weren't as eager and instead looked at them "reluctantly," the Humane Society said.

"It's truly distressing to come upon dogs who are severely injured yet chained to trees or left to languish in a pen instead of getting the care they desperately need," said Adam Parascandola, vice president of the animal rescue team for the Humane Society of the United States. "Thanks to all the agencies who intervened on behalf of these dogs, this is the last day they're going to have to live like this."

"To force dogs to fight, often to the death, for the enjoyment of others is not only a federal crime, it is also cruel, sadistic, and can create a haven for other illicit activities involving drugs and firearms," said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs in the DOJ's announcement.

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Under the Animal Welfare Act, there is a maximum felony sentence of up to five years in federal prison for dogfighting "or to possess, train, sell, buy, deliver, receive, or transport dogs intended for use in dogfighting," per the DOJ.

The dogs involved in the operation are now being treated at undisclosed locations, the Humane Society said.