Social Media Posts Claiming Cat Meat Sales Are False, Says Immigration

Maldives Immigration has confirmed that circulating social media posts falsely claiming that various shops in Malé area are selling cat meat are fake.

https://x.com/ImmigrationMV/status/1826147007691633005

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The posts, featuring the Immigration’s Twitter handle, have been widely shared but were later revealed to be doctored images.

The misleading posts appeared after the discovery of a 32-year-old Bangladeshi expatriate, Arafat Hossain, allegedly selling prepared cat meat in meal parcels to various venues in the Malé area. The fabricated posts listed 20 shop outlets as involved in the sale of the prohibited meat.

The controversy gained traction after the Feline Welfare Organisation, a local NGO, highlighted the issue, identifying Hossain as an undocumented migrant working at Malé’s Valhoamas Market. 

The NGO accused him of butchering, cooking, consuming, and selling cat meat, which has sparked public concern, especially regarding the sale of such meat, which is prohibited for consumption by Muslims.

The Maldives Police Service confirmed that the suspect was arrested yesterday and handed over to Immigration for further investigation.