Manama: A campaign launched by Kuwaiti police to crack down on foreigners staying illegally in the country or involved in ‘immoral activities’ has netted 60 men and women.
“Those who were detained mostly worked in cafés and many of them provided or helped provide very, very special services,” a security source told local Arabic daily Al Rai. “The campaign was ordered by the interim interior ministry undersecretary who wanted the police to check all cafés in the six governorates.”
The foreigners have been remanded in custody and will be referred to the authorities for follow-up, the source said.
“There will be action against those who left their employers illegally and turned to cafés to provide special services,” the source said.
Kuwait is home to a large expatriate population that makes up around two-thirds of the country’s total population.
A plan by the social affairs and labour minister to reduce their numbers by one million over ten years has been fiercely resisted by the business community and those benefiting from cheap labour.
The minister later said that the measure would not include expatriates with outstanding skills.
