NAKHON PHANOM: Four Lao men were arrested by marine police while attempting to smuggle almost one tonne of frozen food across the Mekong river to Laos from That Phanom district on Monday night.

Pol Maj Kittipong Puengchomphu, chief of That Phanom marine police, said the four were caught loading packages of frozen food into a long-tail boat at the riverbank in tambon That Phanom. They inetnded to smuggle the goods into Laos.

The seized frozen food comprised chicken, sausages and meat balls. There was about one tonne in total.

Pol Maj Kittipong said all border crossings in the province's four border districts, including That Phanom, were closed due to the Covid-19 situation. This had led to shortages of consumer goods in Laos.

Smuggling had become very profitable, he said.

The arrested men were identified as Kop Phonhalat, 40, Tan Angkawon, 21, Thuem Phonhalat, 19, and San Suphaphone, 18.