Brokers and Individuals who paid bribes to alter residential address

KUWAIT CITY, June 3: In a major anti-corruption crackdown, the Ministry of Interior has arrested an employee of the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI) on charges of forging official documents and accepting bribes. The arrest was carried out by the Criminal Security Sector, represented by the General Department of Criminal Investigation’s Anti-Financial Crimes Department, as part of ongoing efforts to root out corruption and fraud within public institutions.

According to informed security sources, the case began following intelligence reports and close coordination between the Ministry and officials at PACI. The investigation revealed that the employee had exploited his official access to PACI’s internal electronic system to unlawfully alter and transfer the residential addresses of individuals without their physical presence or the submission of legally required documentation—actions in clear violation of existing protocols and regulations.

Authorities said the accused was accepting payments of 120 Kuwaiti dinars for each illegal address change. In total, he is suspected of facilitating over 5,000 such fraudulent transactions since the beginning of the current year. These were reportedly carried out in coordination with a network of brokers operating both within and outside Kuwait.

As part of the investigation, two brokers were taken into custody along with seven individuals who admitted to paying bribes to expedite their transactions. It was further discovered that the accused had used the illicit profits to purchase luxury goods, including gold bars, jewelry, and other high-value items, in an attempt to launder the funds and obscure their illegal origins.

The suspect, along with the seized evidence, has been referred to the Public Prosecution Office for further legal action. Officials stressed that the Ministry of Interior remains committed to pursuing and prosecuting all forms of financial and administrative corruption to preserve the integrity of state institutions and uphold the rule of law.

KUWAIT CITY, July 3: On Thursday morning, firefighting teams from Al-Bairaq and Al-Qurain Centers successfully controlled a fire that broke out in a restaurant and several shops located on the first floor of the Al-Qurain Markets area. The teams promptly responded, extinguished the flames, and brought the situation under control. The incident resulted in five injuries. After securing the site, it was handed over to the relevant authorities for further investigation.

In a separate incident on the same morning, firefighters from Farwaniya and Subhan Centers responded to a fire at an apartment building in Farwaniya. The teams quickly intervened, extinguished the fire, and controlled the situation. Four individuals were injured in this incident. The site was also handed over to the competent authorities for follow-up.

KUWAIT CITY, July 3: Authorities at the Nuwaiseeb border crossing have successfully thwarted a significant attempt to smuggle a large quantity of cigarettes into the country. Officers from the General Administration of Customs uncovered the smuggling operation during a comprehensive inspection in the lane designated for joint operations.

During the inspection, customs personnel discovered 1,455 packs of cigarettes expertly concealed within various parts of a private vehicle. The smuggled goods were hidden elaborately, utilizing hollow interior panels, the front and rear decorative parts of the vehicle, the roof lining, under the seats, and even beneath the vehicle’s flooring. Most notably, inspectors found that a section of the rear trunk had been deliberately cut and re-welded to create a hidden compartment, designed to evade detection.

What made the incident particularly alarming was the identity of the driver: an employee working within the joint operations team. It was found that he was misusing his position by exploiting the special inspection lane reserved for joint operations, likely expecting a more lenient or bypassed inspection process.

In response to the discovery, customs officials promptly filed an official seizure report. The confiscated cigarette packs were sealed with a customs security stamp, and the case (along with the seized contraband) was referred to the competent legal authorities for further investigation and prosecution.

The General Administration of Customs reiterated its commitment to combating all forms of smuggling, regardless of the methods or individuals involved. It emphasized that no attempt to undermine the country’s security will go unchecked and that customs personnel will continue to carry out their duties with maximum vigilance and professionalism.