Trial of a major dog theft ring in a mountainous district of Nghe An

On November 23, the People's Court of Quy Hop district opened the first instance trial of the criminal case of "Theft of property" against the defendants including Hoang Duc Thuan (born 1966), residing in Tam Hop commune; Cao Van Tuong (born 1986), Cao Van Trung (born 1989), Truong Van Tuyen (born 1982), Cao Van Anh (born 1990), Truong Van Thach (born 1993), all residing in Nghia Xuan commune; Nguyen Thi Lan (born 1991), residing in Quy Hop town, and Le Van Xuyen (born 1996), residing in Ha Son commune (Quy Hop).

According to the indictment: Hoang Duc Thuan was a dog meat trader in Hop Tam hamlet, Tam Hop commune (Quy Hop). Due to their previous acquaintance, Thuan called Cao Van Tuong, Cao Van Anh, Truong Van Tuyen and Truong Van Thach many times to discuss the purchase and sale of stolen dogs. Thuan agreed on a price for the stolen dogs ranging from 40,000 VND to 45,000 VND/kg. At the same time, Thuan also prepared gasoline and snake skins for these people to steal the dogs.

Other tools such as motorbikes, batteries, nooses with electric shocks, knives, slingshots, etc. were prepared by Tuong, Anh, Tuyen, and Thach themselves. Between June 1, 2023, and June 6, 2023, the subjects committed dog theft 5 times. Of which, Cao Van Tuong and Cao Van Trung stole 3 dogs worth nearly 2.9 million VND; Truong Van Thach and Le Van Xuyen stole 4 dogs worth more than 3.1 million VND; Truong Van Tuyen and Cao Van Anh stole 11 dogs worth more than 10 million VND.

The stolen dogs were sold to Hoang Duc Thuan and Nguyen Thi Lan (Thuan's sister-in-law).

At the trial, the defendants Thuan, Tuong, Trung, Anh, Tuyen, Thach, Xuyen, and Lan confessed to all their crimes consistent with the content of the indictment prosecuted by the People's Procuracy of Quy Hop district.

Based on the provisions of the Penal Code, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the People's Court of Quy Hop district sentenced the defendants for the crime of "Theft of property", stipulated in Clause 1, Article 173 of the Penal Code, including: Hoang Duc Thuan to 9 months in prison; Cao Van Anh to 11 months in prison; Truong Van Tuyen to 9 months in prison with a suspended sentence, probation period of 18 months; Nguyen Thi Lan to 6 months in prison with a suspended sentence, probation period of 12 months.

The defendants: Le Van Xuyen, 7 months in prison, suspended sentence, 14 months probation; Truong Van Thach, 6 months in prison, suspended sentence, 12 months probation; Cao Van Trung, 8 months in prison, suspended sentence, 16 months probation were all released at the trial because during the investigation, these defendants were subjected to temporary detention.

Defendant Cao Van Tuong was sentenced to 10 months in prison for theft of property, but because he had previously been sentenced to 9 months in prison with a suspended sentence (18 months probation) by the People's Court of Quy Hop district for the crime of "Gambling", the court ordered defendant Tuong to serve a total sentence of 19 months in prison.