Gift gone wrong: Expat arrested at Kuwait airport for smuggling drug in luggage

Cairo: An expatriate has been arrested in Kuwait for attempting to smuggle narcotics into the country, allegedly to present them as gifts to friends.

Customs officers at Kuwait International Airport became suspicious of the man after observing his nervous behavior—he appeared confused and was constantly looking left and right, according to a security source cited by Al Anba newspaper.

The expatriate, believed to be in his 30s, was taken to a security room for a thorough physical inspection, and his luggage was searched in detail. During the inspection, officers discovered pieces of hashish hidden among his personal clothing.

In preliminary questioning, the man claimed the drugs were so-called "holiday hashish," implying that small amounts are sometimes brought in to be shared with friends as gifts.

In a separate incident, customs authorities at Kuwait’s Shuwaikh Port intercepted a shipment containing 110kg of hashish concealed inside marble slabs.

Two suspects—a Syrian national and an illegal resident of Eritrean origin—were arrested in connection with the smuggling attempt. According to the Interior Ministry, the operation was coordinated with a third individual, a Gulf national residing outside Kuwait. Efforts are underway to apprehend him in cooperation with authorities in his country.

Further investigations led to the discovery of 6,000 Captagon pills, 5 grams of the drug shabu, and a digital scale used for preparing and distributing narcotics at one of the suspect's residences. The country of origin for the illicit cargo has not been disclosed.