Police dismantle cat trafficking ring, recover 400+ animals
Vietnamese police bust cat trafficking ring, recover 400+ animals in Ho Chi Minh City crackdown.
Event / Security
Vietnam Cat Trafficking Network
Vietnamese police arrested nine suspects and dismantled an organized criminal network specializing in cat theft in June 2026. The operation recovered over 400 live cats and 80 dead cats in Ho Chi Minh City. The suspects confessed to systematic trapping of cats over three years across southern Vietnam for sale as meat.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 16 Jun, 10:33 UTC
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What happened
Vietnamese police dismantle cat theft ring in Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnamese police dismantled a criminal network specializing in cat theft and collection. Nine suspects were arrested following an operation conducted in response to a wave of pet thefts in Ho Chi Minh City. The suspects confessed to trapping cats for three years across southern Vietnam.
Police recover over 400 live cats and 80 dead cats in operation
Police recovered more than 400 living cats and 80 dead cats preserved on ice during the operation against the theft ring. The recovered cats were intended for human consumption, as cat meat is legal for sale in Vietnam provided vendors have certificates proving the animal's origin.
At least 40 stolen cats returned to owners
At least 40 of the stolen cats were returned to their owners following the police operation. Animal welfare organization Humane World for Animals confirmed the reunification and provided support including food donations and fans to prevent the cats from suffering in the heat.
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