29/04/2026
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29/04/2026
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KUWAIT CITY, Apr 29: In a coordinated cross-border operation involving Arab anti-narcotics agencies, Kuwaiti authorities have thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of the illicit drug Captagon, estimated at nearly 500,000 tablets, in a major international trafficking case.
According to security officials, the operation was carried out through close cooperation between the Criminal Security Office at the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Beirut and the Central Drug Enforcement Bureau in the Lebanese Republic, alongside the General Directorate for Drug Control in Kuwait.
The investigation began after authorities tracked a suspicious shipment that entered Kuwait via a maritime border crossing. The consignment had been falsely declared as foodstuffs, but surveillance and intelligence monitoring revealed it contained psychotropic substances concealed using an advanced and innovative smuggling method.
Following verification, coordinated action was taken with the General Administration of Customs, resulting in the seizure of the shipment before it could be distributed.
Authorities also confirmed that a Lebanese-based sender had been arrested earlier by the Central Drug Enforcement Bureau in Lebanon as part of the wider operation. A subsequent sting operation in Kuwait led to the arrest of the intended recipient of the shipment, a Gulf national, who was allegedly preparing to receive and distribute the narcotics.
Inside the seized cargo, officials discovered approximately half a million Captagon tablets, carefully hidden within the shipment to evade detection. The drugs were believed to be intended for large-scale trafficking within the region.
Security agencies said both the suspect and the confiscated materials have been referred to the competent judicial authorities for legal proceedings.
The Ministry of Interior reiterated its firm commitment to combating drug trafficking networks, emphasizing that Kuwait continues to strengthen regional and international cooperation to dismantle smuggling operations. Officials also stressed that strict legal action will be taken against anyone involved in activities that threaten public safety and social stability.
Authorities described the operation as a significant success in disrupting a sophisticated trafficking network operating across borders, underscoring ongoing efforts to combat the growing challenge of synthetic drug smuggling in the region.
