Vietnam police bust major dog-theft ring, seize 1.6 tonnes of stolen dogs

The criminal police division under the Tay Ninh police department temporarily detained the nine suspects for an investigation into theft and the reception of property obtained through criminal acts.

Investigators said evidence showed that Nguyen Thanh Xuan, 46, from Vinh Long Province, southern Vietnam and currently living in Ninh Thanh Ward, Tay Ninh, rented two houses in Duc Lap Commune and Ninh Thanh to organize the purchase of dogs stolen by professional thieves.

At each location, Xuan hired people to guard and keep watch.

When stolen dogs were delivered, the animals were weighed to determine payment, then slaughtered, packed, frozen, and transported by truck for resale.

On Thursday, police raided the rented house in Duc Lap Commune and caught Nguyen Minh Trieu, 33, from Vinh Long; Phan Trung Chanh, 44, from Ho Chi Minh City; and Tran Quoc Khoi, 48, from Can Tho, as they arrived in a car carrying 19 dead dogs weighing a total of 285 kilograms.

The dogs were being handed over to Doan Thi Luong, 38, and Duong Phuong Thien, 43, both from Ho Chi Minh City, for slaughter.

A search of freezers at the same location uncovered an additional 10 slaughtered and cleaned dogs weighing 103 kilograms.

At another rented house in Ninh Thanh Ward, police caught Nguyen Minh Man, 25, from Dong Thap Province, and Pham Van Muoi Hai, 49, from Vinh Long, in the act of slaughtering 47 dead dogs with a combined weight of 559 kilograms.

During questioning, investigators learned that these 47 dogs had been transported by car by Bui Tam Tien, 26, from Can Tho, along with another unidentified individual.

Further inspection of two freezers at the site revealed 57 more dead dogs weighing a total of 688 kilograms.

In total, authorities seized 133 dead and slaughtered dogs with a combined weight of 1,635 kilograms.

Police also confiscated two cars, six motorcycles, several homemade electric stun guns used for dog theft, and other related evidence.

The criminal police division is continuing to expand the probe.