Ho Chi Minh City police, working with an animal welfare organization, raided a major cross-province cat theft and trafficking network, seizing over 400 live cats and another 80 frozen cats intended for restaurants. The gang had been stealing cats for over three years. Recently, more than 40 owners have come forward to reclaim their pets.
The Criminal Investigation Police Department of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, announced a significant breakthrough after launching a crackdown on crime, dismantling the largest known network involved in illegally capturing, collecting, and wholesaling cats across provinces. All nine suspects were arrested.
Following suspects’ testimonies, authorities searched a large animal holding site at the Juk Kwin parking lot in Tay Ninh province, finding over 400 live cats confined in 45 metal cages. They also discovered about 80 dead cats frozen inside large foam containers. Additionally, police seized 21 more cats from another hideout in Linh Xuan district, totaling over 500 cats rescued in this case.
Investigations revealed that the gang, led by Mr. Nguyen Thang Tuan and Ms. Nguyen Thi Thang Tam, operated for more than three years, setting traps and stealing pets from locals across southern Vietnam and border areas during nighttime. They sold the cats to middleman Mr. Le Huy Ba at 50,000 dong per kilogram (about 62 baht), who then resold them to slaughterhouses and restaurants at 70,000 dong per kilogram (about 87 baht) to profit from the difference.
Humane World for Animals disclosed that at least 40 pet owners, having learned of the raid, contacted police and verified their identities to reclaim their cats. The reunion was emotional, as these pets are considered valuable family members providing emotional support.
Korunveer Kukreja, a representative of the organization, praised the Vietnamese police for their “decisive action in dismantling this gang, saving many wild and domestic animals’ lives.”
However, the animal welfare group reported that around 100 rescued cats later died due to the harsh, overcrowded conditions and trauma from cruel confinement and transport.
Currently, several hundred surviving cats remain under temporary police custody as “evidence” for legal proceedings and court trials, causing concern among animal rights advocates. Due to the hot climate potentially stressing and harming the animals, the organization has supplied food, fans, and cooling equipment to the holding area to alleviate their distress temporarily.
Although consuming dog and cat meat is not illegal in Vietnam and openly sold in restaurants, the law requires sellers to have proper certification of the animals’ source. This case clearly involves theft and animal cruelty.
Ho Chi Minh City police have issued a public announcement urging residents in the area and neighboring provinces who lost pets recently to come forward to verify and reclaim their cats at the investigation department. They also request cooperation as witnesses to ensure the criminals are fully prosecuted.