Kuwait busts major drug haul involving 21 suspects

Cairo: Kuwait’s anti-drug police have seized a haul of narcotics including around 18kg of different types of drugs and 12,000 intoxicating pills, authorities have said.

The Interior Ministry said the contraband seized in 17 different cases included 6.2kg of hashish, 8.1kg of marijuana, 3.1kg of the intoxicating substance Shabu, 153 grams of cocaine, 10 grams of heroin, 12,042 Lyrica capsules, 400 Captagon pills, 147 pills of various psychotropic substances as well as KD20,825 in proceeds from the sale of narcotic substances.

The cases involve 21 suspects, who admitted in investigations that the seized items belonged to them for the purpose of trafficking and use.

In recent months, Kuwait has stepped up efforts to combat drug smuggling and reported several foiled attempts.

Earlier this month, authorities said they had dismantled an international network accused of smuggling large quantities of drugs for trafficking in the country.

The four-member ring is composed of two Arab nationals, a person without proper official documents, and a Kuwaiti woman.

They received their instructions from abroad, the Interior Ministry said.

A police raid seized in their possession 16kg of Shabu and 10,000 Tramadol pills hidden inside two fire extinguishers in an attempt to deceive security agencies.

Last month, the Kuwaiti customs authorities said they had thwarted an attempt to smuggle nearly 1.8 million Captagon pills that were stashed inside a furniture shipment.

The haul was seized at the Shuwaikh Port, Kuwait Customs said, calling the thwarting of the attempt a “new blow” dealt to peddlers of narcotics and illicit substances.