Mukalla — The Specialized Criminal Court in Hadhramaut has issued a death sentence against six Iranian nationals convicted of smuggling three tons of narcotics into Yemen from Iran. 

The ruling marks one of the most severe judicial responses to transnational drug trafficking in the country’s recent history.

According to court documents and statements from the Yemeni judiciary, the defendants were apprehended earlier this year aboard a vessel intercepted off the coast of Hadhramaut. The ship was found to be carrying large quantities of hashish and crystal meth, concealed in sealed containers and disguised as commercial cargo.

The prosecution presented evidence linking the shipment to organized smuggling networks operating across the Arabian Sea, with suspected ties to regional militias and criminal syndicates. The court found the defendants guilty of violating Yemen’s anti-narcotics laws, endangering public health, and undermining national security.

“The volume and nature of the seized substances reflect a deliberate attempt to destabilize Yemeni society,” said a senior judicial official. “This verdict sends a clear message that Yemen will not tolerate the trafficking of drugs or the exploitation of its territorial waters.”

The sentencing comes amid heightened efforts by Yemeni authorities to combat drug smuggling along the country’s eastern coastline, which has become a hotspot for illicit maritime activity due to weak enforcement and porous borders.

Security agencies in Hadhramaut have recently intensified patrols and inspections in coordination with regional partners, aiming to curb the flow of narcotics and arms into the country. Officials have also called for international support to strengthen maritime surveillance and judicial capacity.

The six convicts are expected to appeal the ruling. Meanwhile, the seized narcotics have been transferred to a secure facility for destruction under supervision of the Ministry of Interior.