Two Pakistanis sentenced to death in Yemen for drug smuggling

By Nasser Arrabyee/03/10/2009

Tow Pakistani nationals were sentenced Saturday to death and two others sentenced to 25 years in prison for smuggling drugs to Yemen.

Chaired by Judge Redhwan Al Namer, the Yemen State Security special court acquitted seven other Pakistanis of the same charges of bringing drugs to Yemen.

Late last year, the 11 Pakistanis were put on trials for charges of bringing to Yemen 1600 km of Hashish "Ratang" from the Pakistani harbour of Kawader on a boat called Zaher.

The 11 Pakistanis were arrested at the Yemeni eastern coasts of Al Mukalla on June 2008.

Over the last few years, activity of drug smuggling remarkably increased through the Yemeni eastern coasts to Yemen and the neighbouring Gulf countries.

Hundreds of smugglers including Pakistanis, Iranians, and Syrians, were arrested in the Yemeni coasts over the last two years, with dozens of tons of drugs in their possession.