Salmiya CID Arrests Four in Fake Ministry of Commerce Inspectors Scam Targeting Shops and Supermarkets

KUWAIT CITY, June 13: In a bold deception that played out like a “fake official crackdown,” detectives from the General Department of Criminal Investigation — Salmiya Investigation Unit — have dismantled a four-member gang that allegedly terrorized grocery stores and supermarkets across the country by posing as Ministry of Commerce inspectors.

According to a security source, the suspects carried out a calculated and highly convincing scheme, arriving at shops dressed and behaving like official inspectors. Claiming to conduct sudden regulatory checks, they would announce surprise inspections, citing violations in licensing and merchandise. Trusting their apparent authority, shop owners and employees reportedly complied without resistance — unknowingly opening the door to a string of calculated thefts.

Once inside, the group allegedly focused on high-value, fast-moving goods such as cigarettes, tobacco products, and e-cigarettes. Under the guise of “confiscation for violations,” the suspects would pack large quantities of merchandise into their vehicles before calmly leaving the premises, leaving behind confused shop owners who only later realized they had been duped in an elaborate impersonation scam.

The source said the case came to light after a wave of similar complaints poured in from different governorates, with victims describing nearly identical tactics. The pattern triggered alarm within the Criminal Investigation Department, which quickly linked the incidents and launched a coordinated probe.

As suspicions grew, a specialized task force was formed to track the suspects’ movements, analyze surveillance footage, and map their operational pattern across multiple locations. Investigators eventually identified the gang and confirmed that the same group had been moving from one area to another, exploiting their convincing impersonation of official inspectors to avoid suspicion.

Once sufficient evidence was gathered, the Salmiya Criminal Investigation Department executed a carefully planned ambush, leading to the simultaneous arrest of all four suspects, bringing their months-long operation to an abrupt end.

During initial questioning, the accused reportedly confessed to posing as Ministry of Commerce inspectors and admitted to systematically targeting shops to seize cigarettes, tobacco, and electronic smoking products, which they believed were easy to resell for profit.

Authorities confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing to determine whether additional victims or accomplices are involved in the case, which has raised concerns over the misuse of official identity impersonation in criminal activities.

by John C Fernandes
Online Media Manager
Arab Times