Cairo: Kuwaiti police have arrested an expatriate wanted in 38 different legal cases and for defaulting on repaying KD1 million, a Kuwaiti newspaper has reported.
The Indian expatriate has illegally resided in Kuwait for around nine years, Al Rai quoted security sources as saying, as the country’s authorities are pursuing a relentless crackdown on illegal foreigners.
The man, whose age was not disclosed, had been initially stopped at a security checkpoint in the Sabah Al Nasser suburb in Al Farawaniya governorate South of Kuwait City. But he attempted to flee and was arrested after a police chase, the sources said.
Checking his legal status, police found out that the suspect’s residency permit expired nine years ago and that he is wanted for 38 cases of swindle, fraud, theft and breach of trust. Sixteen jail sentences have already been issued against him.
He is also required to repay around KD1 million worth of cheques and IOUs, the sources added.
Kuwait recently toughened measures against illegal foreign residents and warned that any expatriate covering up an unlawful resident will be deported too.
Earlier this month, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Qabas reported that police arrested an Egyptian expatriate who has lived illegally in the country for around 25 years.
The man, named Ramsis, was arrested during a security campaign in the area of Al Mutla in Al Jahra governorate in western Kuwait, the paper said, citing a security source.
“On examining a suspect’s identification documents, police found he had violated the residency law since 1998 and that he arrived in the country 29 years ago. He hasn’t since left it,” the source said.
The 56-year-old violator has been working in the farm area of Al Mutla since 1995 and has been nicknamed by his colleagues “Ramsis I” for being the oldest among them, the source added.
There are an estimated 150,000 illegal foreign residents in Kuwait.