Twelve arrested for allegedly running cat trafficking ring in Vietnam
Vietnamese police have arrested 12 men accused of operating a large-scale trafficking ring that stole approximately 2,700 cats for the meat trade. Authorities seized various tools used for trapping and processing the animals, and some rescued cats have been returned to their owners.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing animal welfare concerns and the legal complexities surrounding the consumption of pet meat in parts of Southeast Asia.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Ethirajan Anbarasan , Global affairs correspondent and Rachel Flynn Ho Chi Minh City Police Police released photos of the cats that were rescued - 13 have been returned to their owners Twelve men have been arrested in Vietnam after allegedly confessing to stealing and selling around 2,700 cats, Ho Chi Minh City police have said.
Cat traps, fur removal machines and measuring scales were among the items seized during the investigation. The men are suspected of taking the pets to be slaughtered for food.
Police allege the suspects roamed through residential areas in small groups on motorbikes at night to steal the cats.
The men reportedly used pieces of fish as bait, placing traps outside houses where they knew cats were kept, state media reported. Thirteen of the rescued felines have since been returned to their owners.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in