Police in the Russian city of Orlov have detained a 50-year-old Kursk businessman en route to Moscow with a bootload of "dressed mutton" - actually 15 skinned dog carcasses destined for Moscow eateries.

Officials from the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, aka Rosselkhoznadzor, said the mutt-trafficking cuffing followed a similar incident in March when cops discovered another dead canine cargo on a bus from Kursk.

The trade is, animal rights groups suggest, feeding up to 50 Moscow restaurants which, "besides those serving Korean cuisine", punt dog dressed as mutton.

The latest dog-smuggling detainee, named only as Sergey K, now faces animal cruelty charges. Yevgeny Dubrovin, an official from the Kursk region, said: “Now the red-handed businessman will surely get his comeuppance."

He concluded: "It seems the deliveries of dog meat to Moscow are organized as a full production line - some people raise and slaughter dogs, others transport them to the capital. The police must track down this chain down to its end and expose all who take part in this hideous business.” ®

Bootnote

Regarding our rather snappy headline, we know mutton is not the same as lamb, but we're sure you'll cut us some slack on this one.

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