Vietnamese police have arrested 12 men involved in a cat theft ring, accused of stealing nearly 2,700 cats for slaughter. The arrests followed night raids in residential areas of Ho Chi Minh City, where police confiscated various tools, including cat traps and fur removal machines.
While the consumption of cats and dogs is legal in Vietnam, vendors must provide certificates proving the animals’ origins. Stolen cats are reportedly sold at restaurants for over 70,000 dong (around US$2.70) per kilogram.
The suspects admitted to stealing and trafficking the cats, with police initial findings dating back to July when they seized 50 live cats and 55 traps. Each stealing crew typically took between four and ten cats each night. Earlier this year, 18 individuals were arrested in connection with two other cat-stealing operations.
