Smugglers disappear in the dark as officials seize trucks heading to Laos
Authorities in Ubon Ratchathani province managed to thwart an attempt to smuggle four vehicles across the Mekong River into Laos.
A group of suspected smugglers were allegedly taking a pickup truck onto a makeshift ferryboat at about 1.30am on Saturday when officers emerged from their hiding. Another pickup truck and two farm trucks were found parked nearby.
As soon as the suspects spotted the officers, they either jumped into the river or disappeared in the darkness.
Conducting the raid in the Northeast province’s Khemarat district was a joint team comprising soldiers, paramilitary troopers, border police and defence volunteers.
The officers found that the makeshift ferryboat had been devised by connecting four boats together with wooden planks.
A check of the registration papers showed that one of the pickup trucks belonged to a woman living in Bueang Kan province and another to a woman in Sakon Nakhon. Both provinces are in the Northeast.
All trucks and boats were confiscated and delivered to Khemarat Police Station for further legal action.
