A thirty three-year-old Lao man was sent to the Stung Treng provincial court on Thursday after his arrest the previous day for allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 1kg of methamphetamine into Cambodia, court spokesman Kim Hongsan said.

“Military police have sent him to court and a prosecutor is questioning him over his involvement in the drugs crime,” he said.

Stung Treng provincial Military Police on Wednesday detained the man in Stung Treng town’s Samaki commune after he attempted to smuggle the drugs into Cambodia from Laos in a box carried on his shoulder.

A provincial Military Police official declined to comment on the case, referring questions to National Military Police spokesman Eng Hy.

“I can confirm that a suspect has been detained. For further details please ask the prosecutor because the case is now in his hands,” Hy said.

Local media outlet Fresh News identified the smuggler as a farmer from Phongsali province in the far north of Laos.

Authorities seized 1.045kg of methamphetamine along with a mobile phone and a backpack, it said.

It reported that the arrest came after an order from the commander of the provincial Military Police, Oeung Vandy, following a directive from National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha.

The evidence has been impounded as a case to be presented to the provincial court in accordance with legal procedures is gathered against the Lao national.