On 19/10, authorities arrested Long, 29, along with 10 others, for property theft. The Ho Chi Minh City Police Criminal Police Department (PC02) made the arrests.

The investigation began in early October. PC02, in coordination with Dong Nai Police, inspected Long's residence and seized nearly 900 kg of dogs and cats. They also found equipment suspected of being used for electroshocking.

Long and five others operated a dog theft ring across multiple locations. They used an oto to locate dogs, employing electroshock devices to capture them. The stolen animals were then brought to Long's home for initial processing and sale.

Long managed the collection, sorting, distribution channels, and financial allocation based on the volume of dogs supplied. For instance, on the night of 7/10 to the morning of 8/10, the group allegedly stole 21 dogs, weighing over 300 kg, valued at approximately 19-20 million dong. Police have identified the owners of four of these dogs and are continuing efforts to locate other victims.

A suspect from the ring being interrogated by police. *Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police*

Network Trafficked Over 10 Tons of Dog Meat

During the investigation, police identified Nguyen Long Yen Van, Long's live-in partner, as instrumental in the stolen dog and cat trafficking operation. Van was responsible for finding customers, negotiating prices, processing orders, and managing sales revenue.

Van connected with dog and cat meat businesses through social media. After finalizing quantities and prices, Van instructed Long to pack the goods for transport via passenger buses to various provinces. The proceeds were deposited into an account managed by Van and subsequently distributed among the theft group.

Authorities identified four dealers in northern provinces who regularly purchased dog meat from Van. These individuals allegedly knew the goods lacked proper invoices, origin documents, and quarantine stamps. They also observed suspected electroshock marks and noted the meat was sold below market price, yet they repeatedly bought large quantities for resale.

Suspects and seized evidence. *Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police*

Transaction data between the four dealers and Van revealed transfers exceeding 860 million dong, corresponding to an estimated volume of over 10 tons of dog meat. Investigators stated that these individuals confessed to knowing the dog meat was stolen but continued their purchases for profit.

The case is currently under expanded investigation.

Pham Hai