25 Tried in Yemen in Latest Drug Trafficking Scandal
Twenty-five Iranian fisherman accused of drug trafficking were tried in Saana, Yemen’s capital city. Twelve of the twenty-five men have allegedly smuggled 3.5 tonnes of hashish into Yemen. The remaining thirteen are on trial for illegally entering and possessing 44 pounds of hashish.
The group was arrested by US Navy personnel who discovered the contraband on board an Iranian fishing vessel. The suspects were then handed over to Yemeni authorities. The group deny the allegations and instead claim the US sailors threw large quantities of fish from the boat into the sea. The suspects assert that no drugs were present on board.
Yemeni authorities claim that they have seized 27 tonnes of drugs in the past nine months, mostly from Iranian traffickers attempting to smuggle their drugs through Yemen en route to Saudia Arabia and other Arab countries. A verdict on this specific case has not yet been reached at the time of press.
It is interesting how as a result of its geographical location, Yemen has become involved in drug trafficking. It is oftentimes easy to overlook how global and current events take place partially due to factors that are oftentimes beyond a country’s control, such as its location and ties to other neighboring nations.
Jenna Hootstein
