(Aden – South24)

Security authorities in Shahan District, Al-Mahra Governorate, South Yemen, announced on Thursday, September 4, the seizure of a fully equipped facility for manufacturing narcotics and Captagon pills. The operation is considered one of the largest security actions ever carried out in the governorate.

Local sources told “South24” that the facility was outfitted with advanced industrial equipment and raw materials capable of producing large quantities of drugs, with an estimated production capacity of around 45,000 pills per hour.

According to the sources, security forces seized significant quantities of narcotics during the raid, including Captagon tablets and crystal meth (shabu), and arrested six suspects.

Authorities said the detainees are linked to criminal elements affiliated with the Houthi group, in addition to Arab nationals operating within a broader regional network.

Al-Mahra Police confirmed that the operation led to the discovery of a fully integrated drug production laboratory managed by a criminal network tied to the Houthis. Images taken inside the site revealed advanced industrial equipment and highlighted the scale of the facility, which had been run under strict secrecy.

Photos from inside the Captagon and Shabu factory seized in Al-Mahra show the manufacturing equipment and the size of the laboratory #south24 pic.twitter.com/ERGS04BMOr

— South24 | English (@South24E) September 4, 2025

In a related development, the Specialized Criminal Prosecution in Aden announced the destruction of more than 657 kilograms of narcotics recently confiscated by security forces, reaffirming ongoing efforts to combat cross-border drug trafficking.

In late August, South Yemen’s Counterterrorism Unit reported the seizure of a massive shipment of cocaine —estimated at 599 kilograms—in Aden. The operation was conducted in coordination with the Specialized Criminal Prosecution.

According to the unit, the shipment had arrived from a port in Brazil and was concealed inside sugar sacks at a warehouse before being transported to Houthi-controlled areas.

Earlier in June, Yemeni border authorities intercepted a large shipment of narcotic pills being smuggled from Sanaa to Saudi Arabia. The shipment, hidden inside the roof of a refrigerated truck, contained more than 1.5 million pills.