The Tay Ninh Provincial People's Court has held a first-instance trial for Le Van Dong, 42, Dao Thien Tri, 25, both residents of Thai My Commune in Ho Chi Minh City, and Le Thanh Toi, 49, from Long Chu Commune, on charges of smuggling.
The defendants at the trial (Photo: K.D.).
According to the indictment, around June, Dong searched Facebook for buffaloes to buy and resell for profit. He came across an account named Win advertising buffaloes from Cambodia at prices lower than those in Vietnam and contacted the seller to purchase eight animals for more than VND 110 million (approximately USD 4,291).
The animals comprised two mother-and-calf pairs, three adult male buffaloes and one young buffalo. The buyer and seller agreed to complete the transaction in the Cambodian border area on the afternoon of June 11.
Dong hired Toi to guide him and help herd the buffaloes from Cambodia into Vietnam, paying him VND 100,000 (approximately USD 3.90) per animal. He also hired Tri to transport the animals by truck for a fee of VND 1 million (approximately USD 39).
On June 11, all three men travelled to the border area in Ninh Dien Commune, Tay Ninh Province. After checking the number of animals and paying the seller, Dong and Toi began herding the eight buffaloes into Vietnam, while Tri drove the truck carrying them.
However, when the group reached Go Noi Hamlet in Ninh Dien Commune, they were stopped and inspected by local police working alongside the Ninh Dien Border Guard Station. The authorities discovered and seized all eight buffaloes.
A valuation assessment found that the animals had a combined weight of 2,200kg and were worth VND 132 million (approximately USD 5,149).
At the trial, all three defendants admitted to the offence.
The court sentenced Dong to a fine of VND 60 million (approximately USD 2,340), while Tri and Toi were each fined VND 30 million (approximately USD 1,170) for smuggling.
