Dogs seized as evidence are seen at a collection site used by a theft ring after police raids in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, February 7, 2026. Police said the animals were stolen from local communities. Photo: Gia Lai Department of Public Security
The Gia Lai Department of Public Security said on Saturday that criminal investigators arrested six suspects during a raid on the same day and seized 23 dogs, electric shock devices, wire snares, chilli powder, and four motorbikes.
Police said the group operated in an organized manner, stealing dogs late at night on suburban roads and in villages.
Those arrested were identified as Hoang Van Hoan, 42; Tran Minh Bau, 41; Pham Minh Phuc, 37; Nguyen Van Duc, 37; Hoang Thanh Hung, 36; and Tran Van Toan, 40.
Police officers search the home of suspect Hoang Van Hoan during an operation to dismantle a dog theft ring in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, February 7, 2026. Photo: Gia Lai Department of Public Security
The suspects are from Gia Lai and neighboring Lam Dong and Quang Ngai Provinces, police said.
The group operated between 11:00 pm and 4:00 am, using electric shock devices and snares to capture dogs.
Investigators identified Hoan as the ringleader.
Hoang Van Hoan, identified by police as the alleged ringleader of a large-scale dog theft ring, is seen in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, February 7, 2026. Photo: Gia Lai Department of Public Security
Stolen dogs were collected at a location in Pleiku before being sold to buyers, including dog meat restaurants in the area and clients in northern Vietnam.
Authorities estimate the ring stole about 20 dogs per day from 2025 until the arrests, totalling around 5,200 dogs with a combined weight of about 52 tonnes.
The investigation is ongoing, police said.
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