[02/July/2009]
HADHRAMOUT, July 02 (Saba) - Security forces in Hadhramout province has arrested two foreign persons accused of drugs selling, according to Interior Ministry.

The Information Center of the Ministry said on Thursday that the drug suspected smugglers, a Kenyan man,45, and a Tanzanian,40, were arrested at Shehr district in the province while they were trying to sale drugs to Yemenis.

The Security authorities has seized the drugs and referred the accusers to the concerned authorities.

Over 44 drug cases have been prosecuted between January and May of 2009, which involved 64 local suspects and 73 foreigners. The quantity of confiscated drugs this year is 19 tons more than the last year, when only four tons were confiscated.

The best way to smuggle drugs is through the Yemeni coastline because it is 2000 kilometers long. The smugglers prefer to use big ships rather than small boats because they can hide drugs in small places such as oil tanks and under the boat.

Last May, Yemen destroyed a stockpile of drugs seized over the past 16 months – 4.5 tonnes of hashish and more than 6.3 million amphetamine tablets with a total market value of US$ 38 million.

Yemen believes that the neighbouring countries are the main target for drug traffickers.

Drug trafficking is active in Yemen’s border provinces, including Hadhramaut, Sa’ada, Shabwa and Mahara.

A Yemeni official has said that his country was being used as a transit point, pointing out that the increase of drug trafficking through Yemen to the Gulf countries was due to a rise in demand for drugs from the Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia.

Interior Ministry registered an increase in drug-related offences from 45 crimes and 86 suspects in 2005 to 140 crimes and 226 suspects in 2007.

It also said more than 500 people were charged with drug dealing in the country in the last three years.


MD/YA

Saba