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Over 60 under investigation for illegal crypto mining

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KUWAIT CITY, April 30:  The Commercial Affairs Prosecution at the New Justice Palace is currently investigating the unlicensed cryptocurrency mining case. A total of 60 individuals, including landlords who leased properties where the activities allegedly took place, are under scrutiny. According to the prosecution, the defendants are facing charges related to acts deemed harmful to national interests and the unauthorized operation of cryptocurrency mining facilities. The alleged activities are believed to violate regulations issued by Kuwait Municipality, the Public Authority for Industry, and the Communications Authority, particularly concerning energy usage and unauthorized consumption of State-supplied electricity. During the investigation, criminal reports and confiscated equipment were presented as evidence. However, the defendants denied the charges.

Kuwait’s Public Prosecution continues to investigate approximately 60 individuals involved in illicit cryptocurrency mining activities, with numbers expected to rise. The Cabinet has commended the outcomes of an extensive security operation conducted last Friday, overseen by Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef, Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy Dr. Subaih Al-Mukhaizeem, Minister of State for Communications Affairs Omar Al-Omar, and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Abdullatif Al-Mishari. This campaign targeted numerous residences engaged in unauthorized cryptocurrency mining.​

The Cabinet emphasized that the operation is part of ongoing governmental efforts to combat unlawful activities, safeguard the electricity grid from illegal usage, and ensure public safety. Such unauthorized mining exploits electrical resources, leading to increased grid loads, power outages, and disruptions in residential, commercial, and service areas.​

The Public Prosecution, through the Commercial Affairs Prosecution, has ordered the continued detention of several suspects, including property owners who rented out their homes for mining purposes. Others have been released on bail of 500 Kuwaiti dinars. Investigators have confronted defendants with evidence of substantial deposits in their accounts, some amounting to 3,000–4,000 dinars daily, originating from unidentified sources. While charged with undermining national interests and engaging in unlicensed activities, many defendants have denied the allegations after being presented with criminal investigation reports linking them to the incidents and seized equipment.​

Sources informed Al-Rai that operations to identify cryptocurrency mining sites are ongoing, in coordination with relevant authorities. Searches are being conducted in areas including Wafra, Sabah Al-Ahmad, and Mutlaa, with no region excluded, even those in the interior. The Ministry of Electricity is disconnecting power to properties involved in mining activities, with reconnection contingent upon approval from the Ministry of Interior.​

Additionally, the Ministry of Electricity, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, is enforcing penalties for cryptocurrency mining activities based on regulations that impose an “absolute ban on all virtual asset/currency mining activities.” This ban was issued by the National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, along with other relevant authorities such as the Central Bank, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Capital Markets Authority.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

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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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