Vietnam authorities dismantle cat trafficking ring in Ho Chi Minh City

Police in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, have arrested nine individuals following a three-year investigation into a cat trafficking network. The suspects confessed to stealing and trapping cats throughout southern Vietnam to supply them for human consumption, which is legal in the country provided the meat is properly certified. During the raid, authorities recovered over 400 live cats and 80 dead ones stored in ice. The operation was launched in response to a surge in pet thefts in the city. The non-governmental organization Humane World for Animals reported that at least 40 of the recovered animals have already been reunited with their owners. The organization is currently providing food and ventilation to the remaining cats, which are being held at a police station as evidence for the legal proceedings. While cat meat is a legal food source, the traffickers failed to provide the mandatory origin certificates required for commercial sale.