A truck transporting sports shooting pistols which were on their way to the Vietnamese border was seized on Sunday by a joint force in Memot district, Tbong Khmum province, a court official said.

A court clerk who wished to be anonymous said the bust was initiated by Kun Nhim, the director-general of the customs and excise department, together with a number of provincial and national military police officers.

He said the group had intercepted and confiscated a truck loaded with 35 cases of sports shooting pistols.

No further information was given by other officials.

The operation was carried out at 11:20am on the road leading to the Tonle Cham border checkpoint, Fresh News reported.

The truck owner admitted taking loads from another truck at the Olympic Market in Phnom Penh, without realising there were also pistols in the consignment.

He said he has transported goods to Vietnam by crossing the same checkpoint on four previous occasions.