almotamar.net - Yemen Minister of Interior General Mutahar Rashad al-Masri announced Sunday the concerned authorities at the Interior Ministry seized 14 million drug tablets and 19 tons of Hashish in the year 2008 caught in possession of 250 persons of Arab and foreign nationalities. The persons are under investigation over cases of trafficking and consuming drugs.

In an indicator on growth of drug-trafficking activities the minister said they capture a drug dealer or consumer each week, pointing out the issuance of hard sentences against those involved in drugs crimes, among them death sentences carried out last week against two drug traffickers in addition to sentences of 20 years imprisonment.

In his address during the opening of meetings of a conference on impeding drug addiction in the Yemeni capital on Sunday, the interior minister expressed his support to the strong punishments against drug traffickers as they are deemed n essence of deterrence.

In the conference organized by the general administration for drug fighting and the Middle East Research for Development Centre, which lasts two days, he interior minister threatened drug traffickers of teaching them strong lessons, especially those who would resist or attack security apparatuses.