KUWAIT CITY, Feb 18 : The Environment Public Authority (EPA) on Friday organized an inspection tour to stores located in Jabriya, Sharq, Mubarakiya, Salmiya and Kaifan Cooperative Society, to ascertain the level of compliance with the ministerial decree on the ban of foams during national festivals. Officials confiscated many boxes of filament bottles, considering it had been included with the banned items.
The Director of EPA Dr Salah Al-Mudhi said the inspection tour will continue until the festival has ended in order to enforce the decision of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Commerce and the administrative board of EPA. He disclosed that the principal aim of the inspection is not to dole out penalties but to ensure that this year’s celebrations are free of all activities that are harmful to the environment and health of the people.
He said fines will be imposed on foams alone, and other items classified alongside foam like filaments will only be confiscated and citations will be issued against violators. Al-Mudhi stressed about 100 officers have been divided into groups and dispersed to different locations in the country to trail all violators, whether they are hawkers, stores or users.
He disclosed that anyone found violating the law will be given a week ultimatum to visit EPA to pay fine or sign an undertaking of good conduct, and those who fail to show up will be referred to the Public Prosecution and will be banned from traveling.

Two acquitted in drug smuggling charges : The Court of Appeals presided by Judge Ibrahim Al-Obaid recently overturned the verdict of a lower court and acquitted a man and his accomplice of the charge of smuggling drugs into the country with the intent of trafficking, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.
Earlier the court had sentenced the main accused to life imprisonment to be followed by deportation after serving the sentence.
Case papers indicate the arresting officer acting on information got a warrant from the Public Prosecution and laid siege of a boat arriving from Iran but failed to find the drugs.
However, during interrogation the suspect admitted to dumping the drugs off Maskan Island and the officer managed to seize from the area 49 pieces of hashish.
The main accused also admitted to smuggling the drugs from Iran with the intent of trafficking, while his accomplice admitted to throwing the drugs into the sea.


Drugs seized: The Keifan police have arrested a Pakistani man for possessing one gram of heroin and a quantity of drug pills, , reports Al-Anba daily.
According to a security source the suspect discarded something when he saw a police patrol and tried in vain to escape.
When he was overpowered and arrested police found the bag contained drugs. He has been referred to the General Department Drug Control.