Kuwait Smashes Biggest Drug Bust in History, Seizes KD 150 Million Lyrica Haul

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 26: Kuwait has foiled what Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef described as the largest drug bust in the country’s history, seizing around five tons of raw powder used to produce Lyrica and nearly four million capsules ready for sale.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the national anti-drug awareness campaign “A Homeland That Protects You,” Sheikh Fahd said the seized drugs had an estimated street value of around KD 150 million ($485.9 million). The operation, carried out on Tuesday, also uncovered a fully equipped factory for producing the psychoactive substance, along with machinery used to fill and package the capsules.

Sheikh Fahd said the scale of the seizure reflected the magnitude of the threat that had been thwarted through the vigilance of anti-narcotics personnel and intensified security efforts to combat drug trafficking.

He also stressed that the national campaign was more than an awareness initiative, describing it as a message that protecting Kuwait’s youth is a collective responsibility. He warned that the danger posed by drugs extends beyond individuals to families, society and the future of the country.