A lot of businessmen refused decisions taken by the Houthi group to impose the cash payment of 30% of customs duties in the port of Hodeida and 70% by cheque. This action has pushed the government to move the commercial traffic from the port of Hodeida, which is controlled by the Houthi group, to the ports of Aden and Mukalla.
The Houthi group issued during the past few days a package of decisions imposing the amount of one hundred thousand riyals on shipping companies for every vessel entering the port, under the pretext of supporting the Central Bank, and also five thousand riyals on each customs declaration for the support of the Bank, which is issued by bonds without a seal.
Customs management of Hodiedah's port refuses to seal money collection bonds, saying the rebels appointed a delegate to collect amounts and it doesn't belong to the customs authority.
A number of merchants dealing with Hodeidah's port clarified that many unfair and illegal decisions have been taken, which will raise prices of goods, including increasing fees on the containers at the port and other decisions.
The Houthi group has been controlling the Hodeidah's port, which is one of the most important economic resources of the country, whose revenues of last year reached nearly 50 billion riyals.