Authorities foil weapons smuggling attempt, black list arms dealers

Security authorities sabotaged an attempt by arms dealers to enter a large amount of ammunition imported from China, through forged official documents. The dealers are being investigated in preparation for trial.

The deal was done through forged documents on behalf of the Yemeni Ministry of Defense and it included a large amount of old manufactured ammunition, said security sources.

The Ministry of Interior declined to comment on the issue, while the authorities issued a black list of a number of arms dealers and importers.

Media Observers considered the publication of the names of major arms dealers as evidence that these are the ones who have made this transaction.

The list published by official media included famous names such as Faris Mana’, former head of the mediation committee with  al-Houthis,  Sheikh Ahmed Bin Muili, one of Marib chiefs, Juma’n Mohammed Juma’n, one of Sa’adah’s major chiefs, in addition to Ahmed Awadh Abo Miskah, Hussein Ahmed al-Huthili, Abdullah Mubarak al-Zaghir and Ali Dhaifalla al-Sawadi. The authorities warned all who were importing weapons or ammunition that it is against the law and they will expose transgressors to legal accountability.

Observer tried unsuccessfully to contact those whose names were published.

The list met public satisfaction by the public and the civil society organizations. Abdul Rahman al-Marwani, head of the Dar al-Salam organization, said that he wanted to kiss the feet of those who issued this black list of arms dealers, describing it as a bold step. Some citizens expressed satisfaction for this step but were skeptical over its credibility, especially since it contained well-known names of those who were, for a short while, closer to the decision making personnel and influential political forces.

A group of intermediaries and brokers tried to mediate a deal to pass a commission of 10 percent of the deal’s value, but they failed, the sources added.

Security sources in Houdeidah said that they are investigating seven people caught with weapons in Haijah Mountain in Bajil District, three of which were captured in al-Marawa’ District.

This is the first time an official black list for weapon dealers had been published in Yemen.
Security authorities have seized about 300,000 illegal weapons since the beginning of a governmental campaign  in August 2007.

 
According to several studies concerning the number of weapons found in Yemen, there are estimated to be between nine and eleven million weapons in the country.

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