Hadramaut Governor orders crackdown on smuggling and port control

Salem Ahmed al-Khanbashi, a member of the Presidential Leadership Council and Governor of Hadramaut, has called for urgent and decisive measures to tighten state control over all land, sea, and air ports. During a meeting in Mukalla with security, military, and customs officials, al-Khanbashi emphasized the need to close illegal crossings and enhance oversight to prevent the smuggling of weapons, dual-use equipment, money, and goods.

The meeting focused on executive actions to strengthen security and military checkpoints and to track smuggling networks to cut off their funding. Al-Khanbashi warned that local authorities will not tolerate complicity or any facilitation of activities linked to organized crime or terrorism financing.

These directives follow recent instructions from Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi to protect sovereign ports, combat the war economy, and prevent the transfer of prohibited materials and vehicles to Houthi-controlled areas.