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Kuwait jails five over $179M illicit money transfer scheme targeting expats

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Kuwait jails five over $179M illicit money transfer scheme targeting expats

Kuwait imprisons five for role in $179 million money laundering operation targeting expats.

KUWAIT CITY, April 28: A Kuwaiti criminal court has sentenced two Iraqi nationals and three Egyptians to three years in prison each for their involvement in an illicit financial transfer scheme that specifically targeted the Egyptian expatriate community in the country.

The court acquitted the remaining defendants accused in the case, which involved laundering approximately 55 million Kuwaiti dinars (around $179 million), and ordered the confiscation of all seized funds.

According to Al-Qabas newspaper, the case was initially uncovered when Kuwaiti authorities arrested an Egyptian man found carrying 50,000 Kuwaiti dinars (about $163,000) in cash. The arrest led to an investigation that exposed a wider network of individuals — both Iraqis and Egyptians — engaged in illegal money transfer operations.

The Kuwaiti Public Prosecution’s investigation revealed that the network targeted Egypt’s large expatriate community in Kuwait, estimated at around 600,000 people. The group collected funds in cash and funneled the money to Egypt and other countries using unofficial channels, bypassing licensed financial institutions and money exchange services.

Authorities also discovered that the network was running a parallel financial system based on the informal “hawala” method, facilitating unregistered transfers and moving substantial sums of money outside the oversight of the Central Bank of Kuwait.

The case highlights the government’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on unregulated financial activities and reinforce control over monetary transactions.

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Kuwait Cracks Down on Unlicensed Juvenile Drivers: 79 Arrested in Traffic Sweep

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Kuwait Cracks Down on Unlicensed Juvenile Drivers: 79 Arrested in Traffic Sweep

A file photo from a previous traffic campaign in Kuwait.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 9: Traffic officers arrested 79 juveniles for driving without a license over the past seven days. They were referred to the Juvenile Prosecution and the necessary legal action was taken against them. The weekly statistics of traffic patrols indicated that 31,395 traffic violations were recorded, 29 vehicles impounded and 65 individuals referred to traffic detention.
The statistics also revealed the seizure of 66 wanted vehicles and arrest of 66 individuals wanted by law for absconding. Moreover, 126 Residency Law violators were arrested and three individuals were referred to the Drug Control General Department. The statistics indicated that the department dealt with 1,179 traffic accidents, resulting in 180 injuries. A security source reiterated the call for parents to closely monitor their children and prevent them from driving without a license to avoid legal accountability

By Munif Naif
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

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Illegal Mobile Vehicles and Shops Targeted in Kuwait’s Ahmadi Clean-Up Drive

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KUWAIT CITY, Sep 9: Under directives from His Excellency, the Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and the Director General of Kuwait Municipality, the Ahmadi Governorate branch has launched a series of campaigns aimed at improving cleanliness and eliminating unauthorized operations across the governorate.

Kuwait’s Public Cleanliness and Road Works Department in Al-Ahmadi has intensified efforts to tackle illegal garages and abandoned vehicles. Authorities closed one square using concrete barriers to curb unauthorized activities, issued seven violations, removed 10 abandoned vehicles, and issued 39 warnings to offenders in the Fahaheel and Fintas areas. These measures highlight the municipality’s commitment to public order and cleanliness.

The General Cleanliness and Road Occupations Department, represented by the Fahaheel Cleaning Center, conducted inspections in the Fahaheel Industrial Area, removing two vehicles and issuing 16 violations against shops operating without proper municipal licenses.

A second campaign is underway in the Fintas area, particularly around Fintas Park, where authorities found several companies operating with valid Ministry of Commerce licenses. However, one food truck was removed for failing to obtain the required commercial license.

Muhammad Al-Hajri, Head of the Fahaheel Center, emphasized that daily operations will continue to ensure the eradication of illegal mobile vehicles and unlicensed shops, while maintaining the general appearance of Ahmadi Governorate.

As part of the ongoing initiative, authorities have closed one of the openings in Fahaheel’s Block 8, restricting access to heavy machinery such as trucks and trailers. Vehicles currently in state-owned yards are being tagged and removed as necessary. A new state-owned yard has also been established in the Fahaheel Industrial Area to support these enforcement efforts.  

The campaign underscores the municipality’s dedication to maintaining cleanliness, enforcing regulations, and improving public spaces throughout Ahmadi Governorate.

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Kuwait Municipality Cracks Down on Unlicensed Advertisements in Ahmadi

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Kuwait Municipality Cracks Down on Unlicensed Advertisements in Ahmadi

Municipality inspection teams during the Ahmadi campaign.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept. 9: The Kuwait Municipality recorded 47 advertisement violations during the launch of its first field inspection campaign in Ahmadi Governorate, the municipality announced on Monday.

The campaign, aimed at checking shops’ health and advertisement licenses, seeks to ensure compliance with regulations governing commercial and advertising activities.

Head of the inspection team in Ahmadi, Abdulaziz Al-Azmi, said in a press statement that the tours focus on verifying the validity of advertisement licenses and taking necessary regulatory measures against violators.

He stressed that failure to issue or renew advertisement licenses, or breaches of advertisement regulations, could lead to fines of up to KD 5,000. Violation reports will be issued in such cases, he added.

Al-Azmi explained that the Ahmadi campaign will be followed by similar inspections in all governorates, according to a timetable prepared by the Public Relations Department in coordination with the relevant authorities.

He urged shop owners to comply with municipal laws and regulations, noting that inspection teams from safety departments across the six governorates remain committed to enforcing the Kuwait Municipality’s systems through regular field campaigns.

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