Police in Ho Chi Minh City have arrested 12 men suspected of operating a network that stole and resold around 2,700 cats for meat. Authorities seized traps, equipment used for removing fur and weighing scales during the investigation. The suspects allegedly travelled through residential areas at night in small groups on motorbikes, targeting cats kept around homes.
Police identified 39-year-old Luu Thanh Binh as the alleged leader of the network, according to VnExpress International. Binh and 11 other suspects are being investigated on suspicion of property theft. Investigators allege that the group used pieces of fish as bait and placed traps outside homes where cats were known to be kept.
The network came to light following a raid on July 8 in Dong Thanh Commune, where police recovered 50 cats, 55 traps and two weighing scales. During questioning, the suspects allegedly admitted to stealing and selling approximately 2,700 cats. Police have not yet established how long the network had been operating or the full extent of its activities.
Also Read: NWR Apprentice Recruitment 2026 Check Application Date For 2,008 Posts
Investigators also allege that Binh obtained cats from independent sellers in addition to those taken by the network. Of the 50 cats recovered during the raid, authorities have returned 13 to their owners. The investigation remains underway as police examine the suspects' activities and seek to determine how the animals were collected and distributed.
The case has drawn attention to Vietnam's trade in dog and cat meat, which remains legal in the country, although attitudes and practices vary by region and generation. Cat meat is consumed in some areas, particularly in northern Vietnam, and is sometimes associated with traditional beliefs about good fortune. Businesses involved in selling such meat are subject to requirements concerning the origin of the animals.
Public opposition to the trade has also grown in recent years. In 2024, more than 250,000 people reportedly signed a petition calling for an end to Vietnam's dog and cat meat trade. The city of Hoi An had earlier pledged in 2021 to end the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat. The latest arrests have renewed attention on the illegal theft and trade of animals alongside the wider debate over the consumption of dog and cat meat.
Also Read: Keralam Probes Alleged Corruption In 2006 Road Project During Gyanesh Kumar’s Tenure