Interior Minister: 230 shops selling weapons closed and 270 dealers arrested

Markets outside the capital resume selling weapons

A number of shops selling weapons have resumed sales in spite of the government’s efforts to shut them down. Pictured above is one such shop in the area of Arhab.

The Ministry of the Interior’s anti-weapons carrying campaign in major cities resulted in the seizure of over a thousand weapons, stated a recent report.

Despite the minister’s statement about the seizure of over a thousand weapons, the Yemen Observer has discovered weapons shops on the outskirt’s of Sana’a that have resumed selling, particularly at Arhab market (50 kilometers northwest of Sana’a,), al-Hatarish (30 kilometers northeast of Sana’a) and Jahana (30 kilometers south east of Sana’a).  This goes against recent figures released by the Minister of the Interior, who stated the ministry has closed down over 230 weapons and ammunition outlets, and arrested 270 traders selling weapons in a number of governorates. 

A field tour by the Observer along the capital’s outskirts discovered open weapon’s dealing being practiced in shops in the Sok al-Khamis area, and secretly out of homes in the al-Hatarish area. In Jahana, weapon traders have been selling weapons openly while others have been secretly selling from their homes. The weapons traders in the Arhab area said they experienced some troubles from the security authorities, but they are now resuming their activities freely.

Buyers at the weapon markets say  there are different varieties of both old and new personal weapons currently available. Al-Hatarish weapons traders say their close proximity to the capital has made it difficult for them to sell their weapons openly, however they say this has not deterred them altogether. They say that the weapon market brokers undertake secret trafficking of weapons to their customers in their homes, away from the eyes of police and security.

Mohammed H, a weapon trader says security officials in the area know many of the weapon traders’ houses, movements and dealings; however they often turn a blind eye to their actions in return for payments, usually in the form of qat. Jabber S, another weapon trader says some security officials are weapon traders’ partners, receiving shares of the sales. 

In a related issue, the Interior Minister, General Rashad al-Masri, disclosed that security forces had seized 3,070,000 narcotic pills in addition to 18 tons of drugs. He pointed out that this amount was enough to badly damage the youth of the Arab world.  The minister said the total amount confiscated during 2008 amounted to 20 tons of hashish and 9 million pills; three times the amount seized in 2007.
 
Interior Minister, General Rashad al-Masri, said the ministry would develop the security measures to promote security and support the citizens who cooperate by providing the police with evidence. 

Al-Masri commended the police records to date and their quick responses in fighting both terror and crime in the country, and stated that such efforts have not gone without international recognition.  

In his meetings with the political leadership he honored the military and security institutions noting that recent successes have been achieved through both police awareness and the impact of modern technology used in security and police activities.  

Al-Masri reiterated the importance of military discipline in securing the state’s prestige, and ensuring abstinence from dishonorable behavior. He called for distinct security services at police stations which will support the ministries plans to provide “the police are at the service of the people”. He supported the idea that the police should be the face of the country because they are the first to receive visitors at the country’s ports of entry.

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