Arrested gang carrying hot weapons and committing 70 dog thefts in Nghe An

On the morning of November 8, the Nghi Loc District Police Department announced that the unit had just successfully broken up Project 919C, eliminating a drug addict gang that specialized in stealing dogs.

Six members of the gang were arrested and detained, including: Nguyen Dinh Tuan (born in 1997), residing in Nghi Hop commune; Nguyen Dinh Thiet (born in 1996); Vo Trung Kien (born in 1992); Vo Trong Toan (born in 1997), both residing in Nghi Xa commune; Hoang Thanh Hai (born in 1990), residing in Nghi Khanh commune, for stealing dogs; and Tran Van Phung (born in 1973), residing in Nghi Xuan commune, for consuming stolen dogs.

6/7 of the above subjects are being criminally detained for stealing dogs and consuming stolen dogs. Photo: Nhat Tuan

Previously, in early September 2019, public opinion reflected that many people had their dogs stolen but the thieves were not caught, causing outrage among the people. Nghi Loc District Police conducted a check and discovered a gang specializing in drug use at a farm in Hamlet 3, Nghi Hop Commune, rented by Nguyen Khac Trung (born in 1975), residing in Ha Huy Tap Ward, Vinh City, to raise fish.

In addition to being drug addicts, this gang also has a criminal record and is lazy. At night, after illegally using drugs, they ride motorbikes to residential areas to steal dogs to sell for money and then kill them for meat at the farm.

Due to the situation and seriousness of the case, the leaders of Nghi Loc District Police established Project 919C to fight and eradicate the above gang.

From the results of the investigation, the Task Force knew that on the night of November 4, the above subjects would be stealing dogs, so they arranged ambushes to catch them red-handed. At exactly 3 a.m. on November 5, at Tran Van Phung's house in Hamlet 1, Nghi Xuan Commune, the authorities caught 3 subjects red-handed stealing dogs and consuming stolen dogs, including: Tran Van Phung, the owner of the house, and Nguyen Dinh Tuan and Nguyen Dinh Thiet, the subjects who directly stole the dogs.

Some dogs are evidence of the case. Photo: Nhat Tuan

Evidence seized at the scene included 8 dogs of various types with a total weight of 107 kg, 3 motorbikes and tools used by the subjects to steal dogs such as: 3 homemade swords, 4 homemade electric guns connected to motorbike batteries to shoot dogs and people, 2 rackets to catch cats and dogs, 1 marble gun, 10 packaging to hold dogs.

Expanding the investigation that same night, the Investigation Team arrested Vo Trung Kien, Vo Trong Toan, and Hoang Thanh Hai. They also seized 1 truck, 3 motorbikes, 5 electric dog guns, 2 swords, 2 pet dogs, and many other tools.

At the investigation agency, the subjects confessed that from September 2019 to now, they have committed 70 dog thefts in Nghi Loc, Hung Nguyen, Dien Chau, Vinh city and Cua Lo town.

Number of weapons used by the subjects when stealing dogs. Photo: Nhat Tuan

At night, the subjects split into pairs, using motorbikes with removed or fake license plates, traveling at very high speeds. Due to having just used drugs, when being chased by people, the subjects used weapons such as knives, swords, glass bottles, pepper spray, electric guns, homemade pellet guns to fight back aggressively and fiercely.