Aden - Yemeni security forces at Aden International Airport successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle a collection of ancient artifacts out of the country, in what officials described as a significant operation to protect Yemen’s cultural heritage.

The incident occurred on October 11, 2025, when airport customs officers, acting on intelligence and routine inspection protocols, intercepted a passenger attempting to board a flight with a concealed cache of antiquities. The seized items included ancient coins, pottery fragments, and carved stone relics believed to date back to pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods.

According to a statement from the Yemeni General Authority for Antiquities and Museums, the artifacts were hidden inside luggage compartments and wrapped to avoid detection. Experts have since confirmed the historical value of the items, which are now in the custody of the Ministry of Culture for further examination and preservation.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the origin of the artifacts and whether the smuggling attempt is linked to a broader trafficking network. The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, is currently under interrogation.

Yemen, home to some of the oldest civilizations in the Arabian Peninsula, has seen a surge in antiquities smuggling amid years of conflict and instability. Officials have called for increased international cooperation to prevent the looting and illicit trade of cultural property.

The Ministry of Culture praised the vigilance of airport security personnel and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Yemen’s archaeological legacy.