Cyanide-laced dog thefts busted in Vietnam

Phan Tan, 45, from Pleiku City in the Central Highlands, was taken into criminal custody on Thursday by Gia Lai provincial police. He faces charges of theft after being caught transporting three stolen dogs in a sack.

According to investigators, Tan targeted dogs in two rural communes. On Wednesday morning, he reportedly used poisoned bait to kill and capture two dogs in Nam Yang Commune. He then moved on to Hneng Commune, where he repeated the method to take a third dog.

Authorities arrested Tan as he attempted to flee back to Pleiku. During questioning, he admitted to using bait tainted with cyanide.