Money laundering cases tripled, public fund trespassing spiked by 50%

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KUWAIT CITY, Feb 14: The Public Prosecution has released its annual report, indicating a significant surge in various types of criminal activities in 2023 compared to the previous year. According to the report, cases of money laundering more than tripled, reaching 212 in 2023 from 64 in 2022. Additionally, trespassing on public funds rose by approximately 50 percent, from 147 cases in 2022 to 211 in 2023.

Forgery crimes involving bank papers also saw a drastic increase, with 2,532 cases reported in 2023 compared to 1,460 in the previous year. Domestic violence crimes continued to rise steadily, reaching 2,498 cases in 2023, compared to 2,223 in 2022.

Despite the overall increase in criminal activities, some notable declines were in certain areas. For instance, cases of failure to submit financial asset declarations decreased significantly from 1,426 in 2022 to 923 in 2023. Juvenile crimes also saw a decrease from 5,812 to 4,897, and human trafficking crimes dropped from 16 cases in 2022 to just 4 in 2023.

The report also provides insights into the demographics of the accused individuals. Of the total 42,421 defendants, 89.2 percent were male and 10.8 percent were female. Furthermore, 60 percent of the defendants were Kuwaiti nationals, while 40 percent were non-Kuwaitis. The defendants were distributed across various age groups, with the majority falling between 19 and 39.

Regarding case completion, the report indicates a completion rate of 94.7 percent, with 44,117 out of 46,566 cases concluded in 2023. The completed cases were mainly referred for criminal trial or dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction or known perpetrators.

Overall, the report sheds light on the evolving landscape of criminal activities in the country and highlights the need for continued efforts to address and combat various forms of crime.

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