KUWAIT CITY, July 22: The Criminal Court, headed by Counselor Nasser Al-Badr, released on bail of KD500 a citizen — one of 13 individuals under trial for trafficking in unlicensed firearms and ammunition, in addition to money laundering. The hearing was postponed until Sept 15 to summon the incident officer. Attorney Dhari Al-Tararwa, who appeared in court on behalf of the citizen, presented comprehensive legal arguments. He requested his client’s release, asserting that there are no justifications for the pretrial detention and that there is no danger in releasing the accused. The court granted the request.

The Public Prosecution charged the defendants with possession of various firearms, like pistols and Kalashnikov machine guns, and unlicensed ammunition for trafficking, as well as money laundering, in which the money involved is estimated at thousands of Kuwaiti dinars proven to have been obtained through illegal activities. Case files indicate that the defendants’ roles varied, some were involved in the possession and trafficking of firearms, while others assisted and participated in the agreement and planning. The case documents include details regarding communications, weapons distribution, and methods of transferring funds.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff 

Corruption network involving cooperative societies and companies busted in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, July 22: Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior (MoI), through its Criminal Security Sector, announced on Tuesday the arrest of a corruption network involving multiple members of the Union of Cooperative Societies, a cooperative society’s board member, six commercial companies, and 14 brokers and employees.

According to a statement from the MoI’s Public Relations and Security Media Department, investigations uncovered clear evidence that several members received bribes from commercial companies. These payments were made in exchange for promoting the companies’ products and granting them preferential treatment within the cooperatives, actions that violate official regulations.

The statement further revealed that several brokers responsible for handling and transferring the illicit funds were also detained. Upon interrogation, all suspects admitted to their involvement in the corrupt activities.

A total of 19 suspects were arrested across two separate cases, including four members of the Union of Cooperative Societies, one cooperative society board member, three brokers acting as intermediaries between companies and cooperative members, two employees of the Union and cooperative societies, and nine employees from the implicated commercial companies.

The Ministry confirmed that it has taken all necessary legal actions against the suspects and referred the case to the relevant judicial authorities. It reiterated its strong commitment to tackling any violations that compromise the integrity of cooperative operations.

Seized items along with the accused were referred to the authorities

KUWAIT CITY, July 21: A man in his thirties was caught red-handed in a dramatic drug bust in Sharq area after trying to resist arrest.

Police patrols spotted the suspect behaving erratically while driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle. As officers approached, the man attempted to flee the scene, triggering a tense pursuit. But the chase didn’t last long; the patrol quickly forced the vehicle to a halt.

Upon searching the vehicle and the suspect, officers discovered a damning stash: two bottles of alcohol, a quantity of narcotics, and a suspicious bundle of KD 1,000 in cash. The man, described by police as being in an “intoxicated state,” was immediately arrested on suspicion of drug use and possession.

The seized items were confiscated, and the accused was handed over to the General Department for Drug Control, where he now faces serious charges related to drug and alcohol possession.

Police sources say the quick response and alertness of the patrol team helped prevent what could have been a dangerous situation on the road.