The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the conviction of two former soldiers and a woman who were convicted by the lower court to eight years in prison each in connection with attempting to smuggle 50 grenades and more than a 1,000 rounds of AK-47 bullets and two pistols from Cambodia to Thailand last year.

Judge Ya Sokorn named the three as Thorn Meng Kong, 20; Soam Channa, 18, both former soldiers; and Sambath Sreylin, 31, an online lotion vendor.

The trio lived in Russey Krok commune, Banteay Meanchey province’s Mongkol Borey district.

At around 13:30 pm on May 2 last year, military police in Battambang province cooperated with military police in Banteay Meanchey province and arrested Kong, Channa and Sreylin while they were transporting grenades, guns and ammunitions by car, hidden in cases, in an attempt to smuggle them to Thailand.

After their arrest, police later searched the residence of Kong in Mongul Borey district and found another 50 grenades, five cans containing 51 fuses each, one pistol with 14 bullets, one Glock 19 pistol with two magazines and several other bullets.

Three empty AK-47 ammunition boxes and five foam packaging cases were also found.

The trio were charged with “production or trafficking of weapon, explosive and ammunitions” under Article 488 of the Criminal Code.

The Battambang provincial court in June last year sentenced Kong, Channa, and Sreylin to eight years in prison each.

They appealed it to Battambang Appeal Court in July this year but the court upheld the conviction.

• Tags: arms smugglers, Supreme Court