5 arrested in Hong Kong over suspected dog, cat meat found at restaurant operating out of flat
- Authorities found 35kg of suspected frozen dog and cat meat in flat on Shanghai Street in Mong Kok
- Four asylum seekers, including 16-year-old boy, and illegal immigrant were arrested in joint operation carried out by law enforcement agencies
Law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong have arrested four asylum seekers and an illegal immigrant at a suspected unlicensed restaurant operating out of a flat that allegedly served dog and cat meat.
Officers seized 35kg (77lbs) of suspected frozen dog and cat meat from the flat on Shanghai Street in Mong Kok as part of a joint operation on Thursday carried out by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and police.
The about 500 sq ft flat on the second floor of a tenement block includes a kitchen, three rooms – two bedrooms and a separate room with two dining tables – as well as a living room with a dining table, according to a police source.
Authorities launched the joint operation after receiving reports of individuals allegedly selling dog and cat meat on the premises, an AFCD spokesman said.
Samples of the seized meat will undergo testing to determine if it is from the animals. Authorities also discovered menus in Vietnamese on the premises indicating dishes containing meat from the animals.
A boy, 16, a man, 27, and a woman, 43, all non-refoulement claimants, were arrested on charges related to serving dishes at the site.
The source said a 50-year-old non-refoulement claimant – Hong Kong’s de facto asylum seeker status – had been serving cuisine prepared with suspected dog and cat meat in the flat for six months. He was arrested on suspicion of operating a restaurant without a licence.
The department spokesman said the man could face prosecution for operating an unlicensed restaurant in violation of the Food Business Regulation if evidence was found by food safety authorities.