12 men arrested in Vietnam over theft of nearly 2,700 cats

Twelve men have been arrested in Vietnam on suspicion of stealing nearly 2,700 cats to sell them for meat, police and state media reported on Monday.

The consumption of dog and cat meat is legal in Vietnam, although sellers are required to obtain certificates proving the animals’ origin, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

The 12 men were arrested on theft charges. They admitted to “stealing and trafficking approximately 2,700 cats of various breeds,” police said in a statement.

According to state media, the men operated between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., traveling by motorcycle in small groups through residential neighborhoods, where they stole cats.

In Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam, authorities seized butchering equipment, cat traps and weighing scales.

The network had previously been targeted by police in July. At the time, officers confiscated 50 live cats, along with 55 traps, two scales and two butchering machines.

Earlier this year, 18 people were arrested in Ho Chi Minh City on suspicion of belonging to two separate networks involved in stealing cats.

According to media reports, stolen cats can be sold to restaurants for at least 70,000 dong (around €2.40) per kilogram.

Photo: Chat GPT