KUWAIT CITY, Jan 2: In a decisive move to safeguard public health, the Ministry of Interior, through the Criminal Security Sector’s Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate Investigation Department, in coordination with the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, has shut down an illegally operated warehouse in the Shuwaikh area that was being used to store and distribute rotten meat unfit for human consumption.

The operation was launched after a vigilant Kuwaiti citizen alerted authorities to suspicious activity on social media, where individuals were allegedly advertising and selling spoiled meat as fresh. Acting swiftly on the report, security teams initiated investigations that uncovered a criminal network involved in the dangerous trade.

Raids carried out by the authorities led to the arrest of a gang from the Syrian community. Inside the warehouse, inspectors discovered large quantities of meat of unknown origin that failed to meet basic health and safety standards. Investigators also found frozen meat that had been deliberately thawed and deceptively sold as fresh, along with severely spoiled food items that had undergone visible changes in color, texture, and odor, rendering them hazardous for human consumption.

Further checks revealed that the warehouse was operating without the required health licenses, in blatant violation of existing laws and regulations. The scale of the violations underscored a serious threat to public safety and consumer trust.

All necessary legal measures have been taken against the suspects, who have been referred to the competent authorities for further investigation and prosecution.

The Ministry of Interior reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to combating any practices that endanger public health, stressing that security and inspection campaigns will continue relentlessly. The ministry also called on the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities by reporting violations, emphasizing that community awareness is a vital line of defense in protecting public safety.