Al-Bayda - Saba:
Customs officers at the Afar Customs Center and the Customs Enforcement Unit successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of narcotic drugs.
According to Fahd Haza’a, Director of the Afar Customs Center, the seized shipment contained 13,160 strips of Pregabalin, totaling 197,400 capsules. The drugs were cleverly hidden inside a false compartment at the bottom of a cargo box, camouflaged with chicken waste to evade detection.
Suspicion arose when the shipment arrived at the Al-Sawadiya Customs checkpoint, prompting a thorough inspection at the customs yard, leading to the discovery. The confiscated drugs were handed over to the General Directorate for Narcotics Control in Al-Bayda for legal processing.
Haza’a emphasized that this operation highlights the vigilance and expertise of Yemen’s customs officers in combating smuggling, thanks to intensive training, preemptive intelligence efforts, and rapid response measures. He also noted that the Afar Customs Center has recently thwarted multiple smuggling attempts, including banned substances and substandard goods, ensuring public health and economic protection.
He praised the continued support from the Customs Authority President, Eng. Adel Murgham reaffirmed the center’s commitment to preventing drug smuggling and illegal trade in the interest of the nation and its people.
