Kuwait foils major drug smuggling attempt involving government officials
Drone surveillance leads to $4.25m drug bust; vessel manned by security, customs officials
Dubai: Kuwait’s Interior Ministry has thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large haul of narcotics into the country, one of the most significant seizures in recent months, according to the state News Agency Kuna.
The ministry said drone surveillance detected a boat whose crew was retrieving bags hidden on the seabed.
A rapid-response unit from the Naval Formation and Maritime Security Department intercepted the vessel and its three occupants: a member of the Interior Ministry’s military service, a customs employee, and an Arab expatriate.
A search uncovered eight sealed bags containing 319 packets of narcotics, with an estimated street value of 1.3 million Kuwaiti dinars (approximately $4.25 million).
The involvement of security personnel underscored the scope of the smuggling networks authorities are confronting.
“No one is above the law,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that measures were being strengthened to secure the country’s territorial waters and enhance the Coast Guard’s operational readiness.
Drug trafficking has become a growing concern in Kuwait and across the Gulf, where authorities say regional and international actors are increasingly active.
Officials have repeatedly described the fight against narcotics as a national priority, warning of the social and economic toll drugs take on young people and the wider community.
