Ho Chi Minh City police bust professional dog theft ring, uncover interprovincial meat trade

Officers found 21 dead dogs, 32 butchered dogs, and 57 butchered cats at a suspected processing site.

Ho Chi Minh City police said on Tuesday that they had initiated criminal proceedings and detained Nguyen Ba Long, 29, a resident of Dong Nai City, Nguyen Long Yen Van, 40, who lives with Long as his partner, and nine accomplices on suspicion of property theft.

In early October, residents reported a series of dog thefts in Nghia Thanh, Kim Long, and Ngai Giao Communes and nearby areas. 

The municipal police launched an investigation to track down those responsible.

Investigators identified Long as a suspect in the theft and sale of dogs of unknown origin. 

They coordinated with Dong Nai police to inspect his residence in the city's Long Binh Ward.

Police found a house enclosed by metal-sheet fencing, with an area inside set up for processing and slaughtering animals.

Inspecting a car parked in the yard, officers discovered 21 dead dogs weighing a total of 304.6 kilograms, along with devices suspected to be homemade electric-shock guns and other equipment allegedly used in the thefts.

A further search uncovered 32 butchered dogs weighing nearly 420 kilograms and 57 butchered cats weighing more than 170 kilograms. The meat was stored in foam boxes and freezers for sale.

Investigators determined that Long and Nguyen Thanh Liem, Nguyen Ngoc Tri, Nguyen Ngoc Nhi, Nguyen Van Hiep, and Nguyen Van Qua had agreed on their roles and organized dog thefts to make money.

Liem drove a car to transport the suspects as they searched for dogs, while Tri used a homemade electric-shock device to stun the animals. Nhi collected the dogs and loaded them into the car.

After each theft, the group took the animals to Long’s residence for processing and sale.

Long organized the collection, sorting and processing of the stolen dogs and sought buyers. He also divided the proceeds among those directly involved in the thefts according to the weight of the dogs delivered.

Hiep and Qua allegedly knew the dogs had been stolen but still helped Long process and sell them in exchange for financial benefits.

According to investigators, between the night of October 7 and the morning of October 8 alone, the group stole 21 dogs weighing more than 300 kilograms in Nghia Thanh, Ngai Giao, and Kim Long Communes and nearby areas.

The animals had an estimated market value of VND19 million (US$735) to more than VND20 million ($774).

The suspects also admitted to carrying out other thefts using similar methods.

Police continued expanding the investigation beyond the group directly involved in stealing the dogs to identify other participants and the distribution network.

On October 10, investigators summoned Nguyen Long Yen Van for questioning. She admitted that she and Long had agreed to organize the theft of dogs and cats for sale and assigned other suspects to carry out the thefts.

Van allegedly played a key role in processing the animals, finding customers, negotiating prices, receiving orders, and managing the proceeds from sales.

Using social media applications, she contacted dog and cat meat traders in several provinces and cities to offer the products for sale.

After agreeing on quantities and prices, Van informed Long, who arranged for the meat to be packed and transported by passenger bus to buyers.

Customers transferred payments to a bank account managed by Van, who then divided the proceeds with Long for distribution to the group members who stole the dogs.

Based on the evidence collected, the investigation agency arrested four people who regularly bought dog meat from Van: Luong Thi Thao, 32, from Hai Phong City; Dinh Van Thinh, 30, from Hung Yen; Dang Thi Tho, 38, from Ninh Binh; and Nguyen Thi Ngoc, 41, from Hanoi.