Desperation forces Yemenis to risk lives smuggling qat to Saudi Arabia
Submitted by MEE correspondent on Wed, 05/27/2026 - 09:18
While some smugglers earned enough money to start legitimate business at home, others were killed or arrested at the border
Qat is a stimulant leaf classified as an illegal drug in Saudi Arabia (MEE) Off For many young Yemenis, ensuring a future often means looking to Saudi Arabia, one of the few available routes to work and stability, especially for those hoping to avoid the conflict. However, the journey to the neighbouring kingdom costs around $2,500, far beyond the reach of most Yemenis.
Ahmed*, a 35-year-old chef and father of two, hoped to travel to Saudi Arabia to work in a restaurant but lacked the money needed for a visa or a Saudi sponsor.
“By late 2024, Ahmed decided to enter Saudi Arabia illegally and started working in a restaurant in Jazan. He was deported twice by the Saudi authorities,” his wife, Wafa, told Middle East Eye.
More than 1.8 million Yemenis live legally in Saudi Arabia, making the Yemeni community the kingdom's fourth-largest immigrant population, according to data from the Saudi Census 2022 published by the General Authority for Statistics in May 2023.
On his first journey to Saudi Arabia, Ahmed travelled alongside qat smugglers. He saw firsthand how they moved the leaf across the border, witnessing the risks faced by both smugglers and those attempting to cross illegally.
“He decided to embark on the dangerous journey of smuggling qat into Saudi Arabia. He was fully aware of the risks, but it was the only available work after he was deported,” Wafa recounted.
qat is a stimulant leaf classified as an illegal drug in Saudi Arabia. The penalty for trafficking and smuggling qat can reach up to 15 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years, and a fine of 20,000 riyals ($5,330), in addition to permanent deportation for foreign nationals.
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Under certain conditions outlined in Saudi Arabia’s anti-narcotics law, the punishment for smuggling and trafficking qat can escalate to the death penalty. Repeat offenders may also face prison terms of up to 25 years.
Ahmed was well aware of the dangers. He had heard stories of Yemenis being killed along the Yemeni-Saudi border while smuggling qat, but was encouraged to take the risk after several men from his village returned successfully.
“He spent four months smuggling qat along the border and returned with a lot of money. We lived like rich people for two months, and then he decided to go back for another four-month stint to gather enough money to buy a home,” Wafa said.
A tragic end
But Ahmed’s luck soon ran out. Just two weeks into his second trip, Wafa received the devastating news that the borderlands had become Ahmed’s graveyard.
He had been shot dead by Saudi border guards while attempting to cross.
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Wafa recalled his final moments with the family.
“Before he left, he promised his children two bicycles and asked me to start looking for a house to buy when he returned. Now, there are no bicycles, and we are facing eviction because we can no longer afford the rent.”
Ahmed was killed two months ago, but Wafa has not yet told her children, both under the age of 10, in an effort to spare them the trauma.
“I tell my children that their father is still working in Saudi Arabia, and I won’t tell them the truth until they are adults," she said.
"It is too difficult to tell a child that their father was killed while simply trying to provide for their needs.”
Ahmed's desperate choice reflects a nationwide catastrophe.
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In 2026, over 22.3 million people in Yemen - over half the population - require humanitarian assistance and protection services. More than a decade of conflict, severe economic decline, funding shortages and climate shocks have left millions without access to food, healthcare, and safe water, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).
Fight or smuggle
Khalid, 45, is another Yemeni who turned to qat smuggling a year ago. He made the decision after watching others take the gamble and rise from poverty to a level of prosperity he could only dream of.
“I thought deeply about whether to join the fighting or smuggle qat, as these are the only two jobs that I can do and they offer a good income. I decided to go with smuggling,” he told MEE.
Khalid describes the trek as a “death journey” that demands immense physical strength and experience. Sometimes, smugglers must walk for more than 20km carrying up to 40kg of qat on their backs, a feat not everyone can endure.
“I am just a labourer working for a major smuggler. He hands me a bag of qat at the Yemeni border, and if I successfully reach Saudi Arabia, I get paid 5,000 Saudi riyals,” he explained.
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“That is a substantial income that no ordinary Yemeni can easily earn elsewhere.”
'It is too difficult to tell a child that their father was killed while simply trying to provide for their needs'
- Wafa
Khalid said Saudi border guards order smugglers to stop when they are spotted. If they attempt to flee, guards open fire, often killing or wounding them.
“Many Yemenis have been arrested and face severe penalties in Saudi Arabia, so I prefer to run. For me, it was either make it across or die, but luckily, all of my attempts have been successful so far,” he said.
“I remember one day, there were 10 of us carrying qat bags when gunfire started from a distance. We scattered, and only six of us managed to arrive safely. I still don't know if the others were killed, wounded, or captured.”
Khalid, who considers himself one of the lucky ones, used his earnings to open a grocery store in the city of Lahij and build a home for his family. He says his smuggling days are now behind him.
“One year was enough for me to achieve my dreams of owning a home and a grocery shop. Now, I will focus on running this business together with my sons.”
While Khalid takes no pride in seeing fellow Yemenis resort to smuggling, he says the catastrophic economic situation leaves many with no choice.
“If I hadn't been desperate to provide for my family, I would never have risked my life, but I was forced to,” he said.
“I don’t want my sons to ever do the same job. I encourage them to grow this grocery business and make it their future.”
'Every day is worse'
Economic expert Sameer al-Dhobhani said many Yemenis are being forced into dangerous choices to provide their families with basic necessities and pursue the most fundamental aspirations.
“The civil service has almost paused employing new university graduates since 2011, the economic situation has collapsed and the population is growing. All of these factors have forced Yemenis to seek out jobs that are hazardous or illegal,” he told MEE.
'I thought deeply about whether to join the fighting or smuggle qat, as these are the only two jobs that I can do and they offer a good income. I decided to go with smuggling'
- Khalid
He said qat smuggling into Saudi Arabia was not a new phenomenon, but it used to involve only a few individuals. Recently, however, a growing number of people have turned to it because they weigh the risks against the danger of fighting in the war, which remains one of the few widely available sources of income for young Yemenis.
“qat smuggling is one of the grim consequences of the war, as some people have broken the barrier of fear and no longer hesitate to take on dangerous work,” Dhobhani added.
“However, we must not lose sight of the root cause, which is the catastrophic economic situation and the severe lack of legitimate job opportunities.”
He added that if safe, legal, and well-paid jobs were available, Yemenis would not risk their lives smuggling qat. It is desperation, he said, that drives them to it.
“Since 2015, every day has been worse than the last for Yemenis. They will not stop taking these dangerous jobs until the government takes this issue seriously and begins implementing solutions to revive the economy and provide the youth with civilian jobs,” he said.
Wafa agreed that the economic crisis had pushed her husband into smuggling qat, but said nothing in life was worth such a sacrifice.
“The days spent with my husband when we only had one meal a day were infinitely better than these days without him," she said.
"Having the whole family gathered together under one roof is something you cannot truly appreciate until you lose someone you love.”
*Names have been changed for security reasons.
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