Officials from the Livestock Development and Thai border troops have seized about five tonnes of pork, smuggled into Thailand from Cambodia through a natural border crossing in Aranyaprathet District of Sa Kaeo Province by dozens of men known as the “ant army.”

Deputy director-general of the department, Chaiwat Yothakol, said that the seizure was made when the smugglers were about to load the pork into a waiting refrigerated truck, parked near the border.

The seized pork was later buried at a landfill site belonging to the animal quarantine checkpoint, to prevent the possible spread of diseases, African swine fever (ASF) in particular.

He said that the Livestock Development Department has been cracking down on pork and pig carcasses being smuggled into the country, to protect the domestic pig farming and pork export industries against the spread of ASF.

He appealed to members of the public who come across smuggling activities to notify the authorities by calling the department at 063-225-6888 or through the application DLD 4.0 around the clock.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service