Aden (South24)

Alert customs authorities at Yemen’s Shahn border crossing, located between Oman and the southern Yemeni province of Mahra, seized 3,975 AK-47 rifle parts on Thursday (October 17) that were carefully camouflaged within a commercial shipment package and meant to be smuggled inside Yemen.

According to a statement released by Saba News Agency on Sunday, the authorities foiled the smuggling attempt while inspecting a shipment bound for the country. The ownership of the shipment and the final destination of the AK-47 parts were not disclosed.

A local customs official at the Shahn crossing said, "This achievement is part of our ongoing efforts to combat smuggling, including of drone parts and weapons."

In recent years, customs authorities in Mahra have thwarted several arms smuggling operations, many of which were destined for the Iran-backed Houthi militia.