KUWAIT: The interior ministry has announced a wide-scale security campaign that led to the arrest of hundreds of violators across the country, including those involved in illegal residency cases and others operating dangerous illicit alcohol breweries linked to recent deaths.
In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said that 258 individuals were arrested in all six governorates for violating residency and labor laws. Offenses included expired residency permits, visa overstays, absconding cases and other legal breaches. The campaign was carried out under the directives of First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah and supervised by Head of the Citizenship and Residency Sector Brig Gen Fawaz Al-Roumi. Authorities stressed that both workers and employers will be held accountable under the law.
The ministry affirmed its commitment to continue monitoring violators, confronting illegal labor practices and ensuring that all residents and employers comply with legal requirements, reinforcing security and order across the country.
Separately, security services dismantled a major criminal network specializing in the production and distribution of methanol – a toxic chemical compound also known as methyl alcohol or wood spirit. The illicit substance has been linked to a surge in poisoning cases, with the health ministry confirming 160 cases and 23 deaths, mostly among Asian nationals.
The interior ministry said its investigations led to the arrest of 67 individuals, including the head of the network, a Bangladeshi, along with three accomplices of Asian nationalities. Six fully operational factories were shut down, and four additional sites under construction were seized in residential and industrial areas. One suspect, a Nepali, confessed to preparing and selling methanol-based drinks.
Authorities warned against the grave health risks of methanol consumption, stressing that the chemical causes direct death, and affirmed that nationwide efforts to clamp down on illegal activities will continue. Kuwait bans the import or domestic production of alcoholic beverages, but some are manufactured illegally in secret locations that lack oversight or safety standards, exposing consumers to the risk of poisoning. — Agencies
