KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) announced on Monday the arrest of an Asian gang involved in a sophisticated scheme to steal funds from citizens and residents by exploiting the cardless withdrawal feature of ATMs. In a press statement issued by the General Department of Public Relations and Security Media, the ministry said swift investigative efforts led to the identification and arrest of the prime suspect within 24 hours.
Authorities revealed that the suspect’s identity was confirmed through the biometric fingerprint database at the General Department of Criminal Evidence, after matching surveillance images of the individual conducting the illicit withdrawals. He was apprehended in the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area in possession of approximately KD 5,000 (about $16,500), along with multiple SIM cards, bank cards, and receipts from money exchange offices used to facilitate international transfers.
Further investigations uncovered the suspect’s involvement in a transnational criminal network targeting Kuwait. The network reportedly operated through a local ready-made clothing company, which was used as a front for unauthorized “alternative remittance” activities—concealing and transferring illicit proceeds outside official financial systems. Authorities confirmed that two other Asian nationals, employed at the same company, were also complicit in the scheme. Their previous operations had been linked to a now-defunct money exchange firm previously shut down by regulatory bodies for unlicensed remittance activities.
The MoI confirmed that the two accomplices were arrested in the Khaitan area and tools used in the fraudulent transactions were seized. It added that the international branch of the gang has been located in an Asian country, and coordination with the relevant authorities is currently underway to pursue further legal action. The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging advanced technology, including biometric fingerprinting, to combat financial crimes and safeguard the security and stability of society. — KUNA
