SINGAPORE, April 15 -- A Malaysian man has been jailed and fined in Singapore after he was caught smuggling a sedated puppy across the border in a laundry net.

According to Channel News Asia (CNA), Mahentharan Ganesan, 43, who owned a transport business in Malaysia, was sentenced to eight weeks' jail and fined S$2,500 (RM8,382) today.

The report added that he pleaded guilty to importing an animal without a licence and two counts of failing to provide proper care, with another charge taken into consideration.

The court heard that Mahentharan had borrowed money from an unidentified individual in Malaysia, CNA added.

To repay the debt, he was roped into smuggling animals into Singapore illegally. Although initially reluctant, he eventual...