Coalition forces foil attempt to smuggle money, counterfeit passports to Houthi militias in Yemen

By Deputy Chief EditorJune 13, 2018

149 1 minute read

Tue, 2018-06-12 22:35

Troops belonging to a Saudi-led coalition have intercepted a shipment of money, forged passports and travel documents bound for Houthi militias fighting against Yemens legitimate government, a spokesperson of the Saudi-led Arab coalition said.

“As much as 5,750,000,000 Yemeni Riyals equivalent to more than $22 million as well as 5,297 counterfeited passports were confiscated as they were being sent to the Houthi militias in Saada,” Col. Turki Al-Maliki said in a press conference in Riyadh.

He said the Houthi militias have been systematically attempting to smuggle money and forged passports into Yemen for use by Houthi leaders and their families to travel outside Yemen.

The smuggled money was meant to flood the local market with valueless currency, pay the salaries of new recruits, including children, and create a black market in furtherance of the Houthis agenda.

“We are working with the legitimate government to destroy such evil designs,” he said.

Al-Maliki said that the Yemeni army has been advancing on many fronts in the Iran-backed Houthi militia stronghold of Saada.

Humanitarian effort

He also announced that humanitarian shipment permits were being granted regularly, and that humanitarian aid has been flowing continuously into all parts of Yemen.

He clarified that reports about aid workers such as the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, being banned from entering conflict areas were not accurate.

Al-Maliki said residents have welcomed the advancing government forces through such gestures like removing sectarian graffiti from walls of liberated towns and cities in Saada as well as the port of Hodeidah.

Al-Turki said the Houthi violations are still going on in the province of Saada, the platform of ballistic missiles and the destination of smuggled missiles from outside Yemen.

“We will go through strategic targets destroying ballistic capacity in Saada as well as targeting tanks, hideouts, projectile launch pad and hostile gathering of the militias,” he said.

The smuggled money was meant to flood the local market with valueless currency. (AFP) Main category: Saudi ArabiaTags: Saudi Arabia Yemen Houthis UAE official calls on international community to pressure Yemens Houthi to evacuate Hodeidah Saudi led Arab coalition condemns Houthi militia threats to civilians and aid workers in Yemen