Kuwait busts expat ring trading in residency permits
Suspects charged KD700-1,000 per worker, investigations reveal
Cairo: Kuwaiti authorities said they had dismantled an expatriate ring accused of illegally trading in iqamas (residency permits), forging official documents and facilitating the acquisition of iqamas in return for money amid a relentless crackdown in the country on illegal residents.
The ring composed of Syrian, Egyptian and Asian nationals had unlawfully transferred the iqamas of those workers living in the country to a local company.
Investigations revealed that the company had recruited those workers for sums of money ranging from KD700 ($2,283)) to 1,000 per worker, the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry said.
The accused were arrested and referred to the competent agency, the ministry added without further details.
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In August, Kuwait announced busting two rackets and arresting their members implicated in trading in iqamas via fake companies.
The cases surfaced as Kuwait is pressing ahead with a massive-scale clampdown on illegal expatriates.
Authorities there have recently mounted nationwide security campaigns to arrest illegal foreign residents, who failed to take advantage of a three-month grace period to rectify their status.
The amnesty, which commenced on March 17, allowed illegal expatriates to readjust their residency status, or willingly leave the country without paying fines. The deadline ended on June 30.
Irregular expatriates, who had no passports, were able to leave Kuwait without having to pay a fine and were allowed to re-enter the country.
The unlawful resident with no travel document was allowed to get a new one and use it for departure.
The deported violators will be banned from re-entering Kuwait for life and other GCC countries for five years, according to media reports.
Kuwait has an overall population of 4.9 million people including 3.3 million foreigners.