Jail terms for dog smugglers

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Jail terms for dog smugglers
The Nation 2011-09-26

The Nakhon Phanom Provincial Court Monday sentenced each of four dogsmuggling gang members to an eight month, 10day jail term plus the fines ranging from Bt12,000 to Bt22,400 before reducing the punishments by half on the grounds of their confessions.

The court also seized the four sixwheel trucks and 200 cages used in the crime.

Following the seizure of 2,000 dogs while being transported to Vietnam by the four defendants in Nakhon Phanom on August 11, many of the canines, currently kept at the Nakhon Phanom Animal Quarantine Centre, have died as a result of injuries, disease and being kept in crowded conditions. There are only 770 dogs left.

The Nakhon Phanom Provincial Court Monday morning read the verdicts of four related lawsuits against the four defendants who were charged for trading dogs without permission; transporting dogs without permission; cruelty against animals; and having in their possession dogs that weren't yet vaccinated by a veterinarian. After the court informed them of the charges, the defendants pleaded guilty, hence the court went on to read the verdicts.

All received the same jail terms. In addition, Montree Phanklang and Vietnamese man Tran Wan Tan were fined Bt22,400 fine each. Noppadol Chaiwangraj was ordered to pay Bt18,000, Weerawat Sawasdi Bt12,000 fine, and Anusorn Bupphasiri Bt16,000.

The court also ruled that the defendants continued to transport animals for their own benefits with disregard to impacts to society, hence their claim of having families to support weren't sufficient to suspend their jail terms.