Manama: Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Shaikh Mohammad Al Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah has asked members of the Ruling family to hand over any unlicensed firearms or ammunition in their possession to the licensed firearms centres that will be opened soon in the country’s five governorates.
In his written request to the Emiri Court, the minister urged the ruling family members to be a role model for all people in abiding by the unlicensed firearms and ammunition collection law that was passed by the parliament on January 28.
This invitation is within the framework of the ministry’s preparation to enforce the new law on everyone without exception and in full transparency, the Interior Ministry’s Security Media Department said in a press statement on Friday, carried by Kuwait News Agency (Kuna).
It noted that the law provides a four-month ultimatum for people to hand in their unlicensed firearms and ammunition and be exempted from any possible punishment.
On January 29, one day after the parliament approved the law, the interior minister underlined it aimed to boost Kuwait’s security and to fight the growing crimes.
Shaikh Mohammad said the ministry has prepared a watertight deployment plan of forces to search for and bring to justice possessors of unlicensed firearms or ammunition in any part of the country.
He added the ministry was also embarking on a nationwide media campaign to persuade those with unlawful weapons in their possession to hand them in to authorities before the end of the four-month grace period.
The minister stressed law enforcers will show due respect to the society traditions and the Islamic values during the inspection raids, Kuna said.
He said that female officers will participate in the raids on Kuwaiti citizens’ homes to inspect women’s rooms.
The law stipulates that anyone possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition could be jailed up to five years and fined up to KD10,000 (Dh124,408) or one of the two penalties.
It also increases the jail time to ten years and the upper limits on fine to KD50,000 for anyone who deals through buying or selling in unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The law allows police, after taking proper authorisation from the public prosecutor, to search any public area and private or public vehicles if there was a reason to believe there were unlicensed or unlawful firearms or ammunition.
