Cairo: Kuwaiti police are keeping five expatriates in custody in preparation for deporting them after they were caught involved in illegal fishing and hunting, a Kuwaiti newspaper has reported.
The five, who are Egyptian nationals, were caught while fishing in the Kuwait Bay in violation of environmental rules, Al Anba added.
When their boat was searched, coast guards also found a number of sea gulls in infringement of Kuwait’s environment law, it said.
The expatriates admitted to having hunted the birds with the intention of selling them, the paper said.
Kuwait earlier this year unveiled a plan to deport expatriates found guilty of committing major environmental offences.
The Kuwait Environment Public Authority decreed “immediate deportation” of any expatriate perpetrating a serious environmental violation such as unlawful fishing at Kuwait Bay, sand theft or disposal of debris in non-designated places.
In recent months, Kuwaiti media reported the penalty has been applied to several expatriates caught in environment offences.
Foreigners make up nearly 3.4 million of Kuwait’s overall population of 4.6 million.
