Interior pays utmost attention to money laundering, fraud issues – Forensics archives 7.6m fingerprints electronically

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KUWAIT CITY, Dec 25: Director-General of the General Department of Criminal Investigation Major- General Mahmoud Tabbakh said the Ministry of Interior pays utmost attention to issues related to money laundering and counterfeiting or pumping counterfeit currency into the Kuwait market because of the seriousness of the danger to national economy and harm to national issues, reports Al-Anba daily. He stressed, all issues related to fraud no matter how simple they be are subject to intensive investigation to get to the bottom of it or the beginning of forgery. Speaking of counterfeiting currency and issues of money laundering which have surfaced recently, Al- Tabbakh went on to say, all of them originate in the African countries.

The con artists enter Kuwait and other GCC states in an attempt to promote this currency through deception by persuading people that they can sell them dollars for a low price and give them original currency and after the person falls in the trap they sell counterfeit money. He pointed out in such cases the forgers are arrested, currency seized and handed over to the Prosecutor’s Office to take the necessary action. However, he did not give the exact figure of counterfeit dollars seized so far.

He said the Kuwaiti currency is difficult to forge because of the many techniques in the currency and even if someone tries to forge this currency, will be inaccurate and primitive and easily detectable by devices used by different companies and even banks and shops as well. On the issue of moneylaundering Major-General Al-Tabbakh confirmed it is under control, saying the last such issue was related to an American and exceeded $5 million in cash and was found in possession of $70,000 and large quantities of some drug. Meanwhile, the Forensic Department at the Ministry of Interior has archived 7.6 million fingerprints electronically for rapid identification of persons who had been convicted earlier for persons wanted by law in connection with terrorist and criminal cases, reports Al-Shahed daily.

The daily quoting reliable sources said the automated log contains the fingerprints of all citizens and expatriates who have left the country to enable the ministry to have easy access to their data at the time of need with ease.

The sources indicated that the Directorate-General of Criminal Evidences has activated the smart laboratory which can help the Forensics personnel to detect evidence and clues through rapid laboratory test on all that is found at the crime scene to identify the person even with the help of a tiny piece of hair. The sources pointed out the Forensics department in Kuwait consist of technical staff and forensic doctors with extensive experience in the science of crime and there are many countries which use the expertise of the Ministry of Interior in this area.

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