Animal welfare groups said the operation exposed the “enormous scale” of the country’s cat meat trade.
Police in Vietnam have rescued more than 400 stolen cats in a major crackdown on a suspected feline meat trafficking network in Ho Chi Minh City, according to animal welfare organisations and local media.
Animal welfare groups said the operation exposed the “enormous scale” of the country’s cat meat trade.
More than 500 cats, both alive and dead, were recovered during the raid. Officers found about 400 live cats packed in 45 cages, along with around 80 dead cats stored in ice-filled containers.
An additional 21 live cats were discovered at another location.
Authorities said nine suspects were detained after an investigation into a series of pet thefts across the city.
The suspects reportedly admitted to capturing cats over the past three years in several southern provinces.
More than 40 of the rescued cats have since been returned to their owners, but several others died due to the poor conditions in which they were kept.
Animal welfare workers described the operation as both emotional and distressing, noting that many families were searching for missing pets.
Veterinarians and volunteers are continuing to care for the surviving animals.
Although the consumption of dog and cat meat remains legal in Vietnam, it is regulated, and some cities are working with animal welfare groups to discourage the practice and improve pet protection laws.
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