KUWAIT CITY, Feb 9: Customs officers at the Nuwaiseeb border crossing have thwarted five separate cigarette smuggling attempts over several days, seizing a total of 1,639 packs of cigarettes, as part of the General Administration of Customs’ ongoing efforts to combat smuggling and safeguard national security.

According to customs authorities, the first attempt involved a private vehicle arriving at the border, where inspectors uncovered 389 packs of assorted cigarettes concealed inside the vehicle for smuggling purposes.

In a second case, officers intercepted another vehicle and discovered 77 packs of various cigarettes, along with five unlicensed electronic cigarette packs, hidden professionally.

The third seizure led to the discovery of 429 packs of cigarettes concealed within secret compartments of a private vehicle in an apparent attempt to bypass inspection procedures.

In the fourth incident, customs officers stopped a suspicious vehicle entering the country and found 330 cartons of electronic cigarettes and 20 cartons of regular cigarettes hidden beneath vehicle components. The contraband was uncovered following a detailed inspection.

A fifth smuggling attempt was foiled when officers intercepted another vehicle at the Nuwaiseeb crossing, uncovering 389 cartons of cigarettes concealed in multiple specially designed hiding locations inside the vehicle.

Customs authorities said all necessary legal measures were taken against the violators. Seizure reports were filed, the contraband was confiscated, and the cases were referred to the competent authorities in accordance with the Unified Customs Law.

The General Administration of Customs reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on smuggling and stressed that border surveillance and inspection efforts will continue to be intensified to protect the country’s security and economy.