HADRAMOUT, June 19 (Saba) – Yemen says it had seized two fishing boats carrying a huge stash of drugs hidden in 162 bags.

The two boats were apprehended 13 nautical miles off the port of Sher city in the western Hadramout province.

Two Africans were seized on one of the boat and five Yemenis were seized on the second boat.

The Africans were a Tanzanian and a Kenyan, ages 35-36, while the five Yemenis were aged 19-52. 

In May, the Public Prosecution destroyed four tonnes of hashish and six million pills of amphetamines. The drugs quantities were said could sell for over $ 83 million.

About 75 suspects including 47 Yemenis, 12 Pakistanis, 10 Iranians, 2 Syrians, 2 Saudis and a Eritrean and Ethiopian, have faced drugs trafficking and trade charges in the country in recent months.

The trials of some of the suspected drugs traffickers and dealers have been completed with some sentenced to death and others to years in prison. Other trials are still under process.

Friday's seizure comes hours after Yemen early in the day  reported that 18 Somali migrants drowned and at least 29 others went missing when a smuggling boat with 88 Somalis onboard sank in the Gulf of Aden.

The boat apparently went down in tough weather.

African refugees and migrants continue to challenge death crossing the dangerous sea route where many have been killed and dozens went missing so far this year.

Many displaced Africans die while crossing into Yemen when overcrowded boats capsize or when smugglers forces passengers to swim in deep waters till the Yemeni coast.

They usually flee deteriorating situations in their homelands rocked by civil war, poverty and famine.

In the last few days, the Interior Ministry said Yemen's coasts received about 340 Africans including women and children.

The UNHCR said that 146 African people have drowned on their sea way to Yemen and that 25,764 have got Yemen safely.

FR