KUWAIT CITY, Oct 16: As part of its ongoing efforts to combat crimes related to intellectual property rights and commercial fraud, the Ministry of Interior (MOI), represented by the Criminal Security Sector, successfully dismantled a large-scale counterfeit perfume operation in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh.

The raid, conducted by the General Department of Criminal Investigation—specifically the Department for the Protection of Public Morals and Combating Trafficking in Persons—led to the arrest of three individuals of Asian nationality who were managing a factory engaged in counterfeiting, manufacturing, and storing fake international and local perfume brands.

Authorities moved swiftly to intercept the operation before the counterfeit products could reach the market, particularly as the Perfume Exhibition approaches—a period of heightened perfume sales and consumer activity.

The operation was carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Kuwait Municipality. During the raid, officials seized more than 15,000 counterfeit perfume packaging boxes and 28,000 empty bottles ready for filling and distribution. The illegal factory, which had been set up for large-scale production, was subsequently destroyed. All confiscated materials, along with the arrested suspects, were referred to the competent authorities for further legal action.

The Ministry of Interior reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers and safeguarding the national economy from commercial fraud. It urged the public to report any suspicious or illegal activities that could endanger public safety or economic security by calling the emergency number 112 or contacting the Ministry through its official communication channels.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 16: As part of its ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime, the Criminal Security Sector, represented by the General Department of Criminal Investigation’s Cybercrime Combating Department, successfully investigated a case involving fraudulent text messages sent from a local phone number on behalf of several well-known companies.

Following a thorough investigation, authorities discovered that the suspect had collected multiple phone numbers and provided them to an accomplice. The accomplice was subsequently arrested while in possession of several mobile phones. During questioning, he admitted to collaborating with an individual abroad who transferred money to him in exchange for using the SIM cards to operate an application that sent fraudulent messages. The scheme aimed to deceive recipients and commit financial fraud.

The General Department of Criminal Investigation affirmed that efforts to apprehend individuals exploiting technology for criminal purposes are ongoing. Legal proceedings have been initiated, and the accused are being deported in accordance with the law to safeguard public interest.

The Ministry of Interior also issued a warning to the public: avoid responding to unknown messages or clicking on suspicious links that seek banking information or personal data. Citizens are urged to verify all communications through official sources and report any suspicious activity.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 15: The Criminal Security Sector, through the Department of Forgery and Counterfeiting, has arrested an Arab expatriate accused of forging dozens of rental contracts used by other expatriates to obtain civil ID cards illegally.

According to a security source, the department received information indicating that multiple expatriates possessed civil ID cards registered under shared addresses, raising suspicions of document forgery. Investigations revealed that several rental contracts submitted to the Public Authority for Civil Information were counterfeit.

Upon summoning several expatriates for questioning, they confirmed in their statements that they had met an expatriate claiming to represent a real estate company. Each of them admitted to paying KD 180 in exchange for a falsified rental contract, which was then submitted as proof of residence to obtain a civil ID.

Further investigations identified the suspect as a former representative of a real estate company. The company had terminated his employment more than a year ago due to issues of dishonesty. However, it appeared that the accused had retained several official company seals and documents, which he later used to produce forged contracts.

Security teams tracked down the suspect and successfully located and arrested him. The man, born in 1982, confessed during interrogation that financial difficulties following his job loss had led him to exploit expatriates in need of housing documents. He admitted to forging numerous rental contracts and charging KD 180 for each.

During a search of his residence, authorities discovered several company seals and templates used in the falsification process. Legal procedures are now underway to refer the accused to the Public Prosecution for further action.