Four prominent greyhound racing identities have been unmasked as the key players in a lucrative scheme involving the large-scale exportation of unwanted dogs to Asia.

Western Sydney-based brothers Mark and Steven Farrugia and Central Coast couple Sam and Patricia Cauchi have been found guilty of a total of 464 charges under the industry's racing rules, as part of an ongoing Greyhound Racing NSW inquiry into the unauthorised sale of animals into Macau, China, Vietnam – and even Dubai.

Canidrome Greyhound Racetrack, Macau, where Australian greyhounds are being exported to race and die. Credit:Animals Australia

The Cauchi family own a major stud operation called Rocky Ridge Farm which, according to its website, is the leading greyhound stud in NSW and one of the top three in Australia. But like the Farrugia brothers who run the Glengarrie Trial Track, they also had a thriving, secret business which involved snapping up other people's discarded dogs for cash and then freighting them to appalling conditions in south-east Asia for double the price. The revelations come one week after a Fairfax Media investigation revealed that dozens of Australian greyhounds were still being sent to a Shanghai wild animal tourist park where they are forced to race against cheetahs.

While all four individuals either pleaded guilty, or were found guilty of the offences at a hearing in March, the outcome was not revealed until Thursday when Fairfax Media approached GRNSW.