Kuwait: 13 jailed over human trafficking

Cairo: A Kuwaiti court has handed down varying jail terms to 13 defendants on charges of human trafficking, prostitution and money laundering. The case is linked with running massage parlours.

The defendants include a Kuwaiti citizen and 12 expatriates.

The Criminal Court sentenced the Kuwaiti man to seven years in prison and a fine of KD7,000 ($22,682). The 12 expats were sentenced to five years in jail each and will be deported from the country after serving their terms.

The defendants comprise the Kuwaiti, who owned the parlours, an Egyptian employee and 11 Asians. They were arrested and accused of involvement in human trafficking, prostitution and money laundering.

In recent months, Kuwait has stepped up a crackdown on human trafficking and announced dismantling several gangs peddling in iqamas (residence visas) in exchange for money.

Last month, security authorities said they had busted a ring involved in human trafficking by illegally bringing to the country workers in exchange for money.

The Interior Ministry said the racket run by a Kuwaiti man and a Pakistani national had obtained KD500 per worker by placing them under a company’s sponsorship.

Investigations revealed that the company implicated in the illegal business had 119 such workers on its sponsorship register. Police arrested both suspects and others accused of offering them facilities.

In October, Kuwaiti authorities said they had dismantled an expatriate gang accused of illegally trafficking in iqamas. The ring comprised Syrian, Egyptian and Asian nationals.

In August, the Interior Ministry announced busting two rackets and arresting their members implicated in trading in iqamas via fake companies.