Police in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City have arrested 12 men on suspicion of running a citywide ring that stole and resold approximately 2,700 cats for meat. The authorities seized cat traps, fur removal machines and measuring scales during the investigation. The suspects allegedly roamed the residential areas in small groups on motorbikes at night and stole the cats to be slaughtered for food.
Police have identified 39-year-old Luu Thanh Binh as the leader of the network, according to a report in VnExpress International. Binh and 11 accomplices are under investigation for property theft.
The suspects allegedly used pieces of fish as bait, placing traps outside houses where they knew cats were kept. Each group is believed to have stolen four to 10 cats per night.
The network was exposed during a July 8 raid in Dong Thanh Commune, where 50 cats, 55 traps, and two scales were recovered. During questioning, the 12 suspects admitted to stealing and selling roughly 2,700 cats. The police have not yet determined exactly how long the ring had been operating.
Apart from stealing the cats, Binh also purchased them from independent sellers. Of the 50 cats seized during the July raid, police have returned 13 to their owners.
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The consumption of dog and cat meat is legal in Vietnam, especially in the northern region among older generations. Some believe eating cat meat brings good luck, though there is no scientific evidence for such claims. Restaurants openly advertise their delicacies containing meat of the pet animals. However, the vendors need permits that show the origin of the animals to sell it to customers.
In 2024, more than 250,000 people signed a petition calling for an end to Vietnam’s dog and cat meat trade. The city of Hoi An also pledged in 2021 to end the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat.
