12 men arrested for stealing 2,700 cats for meat in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City police arrested 12 men on Sunday who allegedly operated a citywide ring to steal and resell approximately 2,700 cats for meat.

Authorities identified 39-year-old Luu Thanh Binh as the leader of the network. He and 11 accomplices are under investigation for property theft.

According to investigators, Binh purchased stolen live cats, stored them at a facility in Thoi An Ward, and resold them for meat.

Luu Thanh Binh (2nd, R) at a police station in HCMC. Photo by police

Binh partnered with suppliers who recruited accomplices to form multiple theft groups operating across Dong Thanh Commune, Hoc Mon Commune, Tan Thoi Hiep Ward, and An Hoi Tay Ward on the city outskirts.

The groups divided the city into designated territories and rode motorcycles through residential neighborhoods between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. to hunt for cats.

The suspects told police they used homemade traps or equipment purchased directly from Binh, with each group capturing between four and 10 cats per night before handing them over to the ringleader.

Police broke up the network during a July 8 raid in Dong Thanh Commune, where they seized 50 cats, 55 traps, and two scales.

During questioning, the 12 suspects admitted to stealing and selling roughly 2,700 cats. Authorities have not yet determined exactly how long the ring had been operating.

Investigators noted that Binh also purchased cats from independent sellers.

The 12 suspects of a cat theft ring at a police station in HCMC. Photo by police

Of the 50 cats seized during the July raid, police have returned 13 to their owners.

The remaining animals were transferred to the HAVEPAWS Social Center, which is providing care while authorities attempt to locate their owners.

Police urge residents who have recently lost cats to contact the Dong Thanh Commune Police or the HAVEPAWS Social Center in Binh Hung Commune to identify their pets and complete the reclamation process.

Under Vietnamese law, dogs and cats are legally considered private property, meaning stealing them can fall under the crime of "theft of property" in the penal code, though criminal prosecution usually only applies if the animal's value exceeds VND2 million (US$77).