VENEZUELAN authorities arrested 10 alleged Colombian paramilitaries on Sunday in the third day of emergency operations in Tachira state.

The arrestes were part of a crackdown announced by President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday after three soldiers hunting smugglers were wounded in a paramilitary ambush.

Mr Maduro ordered the closure of a key border crossing to Colombia and ordered an anti-smuggling sweep along the 1,400-mile border.