Bangkok: Thai rangers have arrested two men suspected of being part of an international wildlife smuggling network, the military said Saturday after they were intercepted in a car carrying 81 macaques near the Cambodian border.

Thailand is a major transit hub for wildlife smugglers, who often sell highly-prized endangered creatures on the lucrative black market in China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

A patrol stopped the vehicle on Friday afternoon in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province, where troops found the monkeys stuffed into a blue net bag.

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"At 3:20 pm, authorities arrested the two suspects and inspected their vehicle," the 12th Ranger Forces Regiment, which is responsible for the area, said in a statement on Facebook.

The soldiers also seized methamphetamine pills and crystal meth, though no quantities were specified.

During questioning, the men admitted they were involved in a cross-border trafficking ring moving macaques from Thailand into Cambodia, the military said in a Facebook post.

Troops were working with police to pursue charges under wildlife-protection and narcotics laws.

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