Drugs, fraud, money-laundering, forgery common; inmate takes authorities for ride
3 members of royal family swindled
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 25: The interrogations with the Kuwaiti inmate who is accused of impersonating members of the ruling family and other personalities, has opened a can of worms, reports Al-Qabas daily.
The first surprise, according to informed security sources, say nine people are involved in cases of fraud, money laundering, and other cases. Of the nine – four are Kuwaitis, two Egyptians and one Indian – who have been arrested and detained for interrogation by order of the Public Prosecutor while two others – a Kuwaiti and a Syrian, are outside the country but their movements are being monitored and are expected to be taken into custody upon their return to the country.
The second surprise is a well-known politician who has been attempting in vain to get in touch with the senior officer during interrogations. This is in addition to several other personalities who have been making vain efforts to make contacts under the pretext of inquiring about the latest development in the case and perhaps some of them relatives of the suspects.
Knowledgeable sources said the Ministry of Interior has opened a secret investigation into the incident headed by Assistant Undersecretary for Correctional and Enforcement Institutions, Major General Farraj Al-Zuabi.
It has been reported the investigating authorities have collected evidence from surveillance cameras installed inside the prison to know the most accurate details about the case and know the identity of the people who visited the suspects inside the prison.
The same sources said, the main defendant, who has been described as ‘shrewd’ confessed in detail what he was doing, stressing that it is not the first time to practice this criminal hobby. He added, he cannot do away with this ‘hobby’ and says does not repent. Security sources said life of the accused is full of crimes – fraud, swindling – over the past four years. It has also been reported, he was able to sell fake air tickets worth 150,000 dinars.
The sources described him as a ‘crazy forger’. The investigations have revealed that he carried the forged civil ID card of a well-known businessman and a passport. The sources confirmed that the investigations into the case is just the tip of an iceberg and that as the investigations proceed more surprises await which will make the case more interesting with different twists and turns, since it is termed as the first case of its kind in the history of Kuwait.
Nonetheless, the daily added, the money laundering charge against the suspect is confirmed. The other charges include fraud, swindling, and impersonating members of the ruling family and businessmen.
Sources added that when he was arrested and put behind bars in previous cases, he has been always boasting of big wasta and has even gone to the extent of telling the securitymen, “You will see, I will be soon released.”
Investigations into the case have revealed serious security breaches and prison chaos. Despite the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Interior to control prison conditions, investigations have revealed that the prisoners benefit from complicity that allows them to do what they want in return for money.
The sources added prohibited items change hands very easily and this includes mobile phones and many kinds of items are on sale including narcotic pills, hashish, etc, etc, not to mention
the chaos that accompanies the sale which makes it look like everything is normal because of the complicity of certain people.
The sources added, on an average 12 arrests are made daily pointing to grave security concerns which have started sounding the alarm bell and amid all this the Ministry of Interior is expected to reform the prison sector and correctional institutions.
Cases of drug seizures – heroin, cocaine, cannabis and narcotic tablets – from inside the prison complex and among prisoners amounted to 822 in just one year.
In one of the strange incidents someone attempted to smuggle drugs for a prisoner by hiding it inside a cake after feigning a birthday occasion. After the cake was checked the security authorities found drugs hidden inside.
The security authorities are coordinating efforts with the Communications, Engineering, Information
Systems and the Prisons Sector departments to implement a project that will block all communications and telephone coverage from the prison complex, making the smuggling of mobile phones into the facility useless.
A number of celebrities and artistes, including members of the ruling family and businessmen, have announced that they will file lawsuits against the suspect after his true identity in revealed.
‘Royal’ trio robbed:
Three members of the ruling family (two brothers and their sister) have filed a fraud case with the Rawdah Police Station accusing a Kuwaiti and his son of robbing them to the tune of 320,000 dinars after posing as businessmen and promising to set up huge commercial projects, reports Al-Rai daily.
The trio told the security authorities the men have since then gone
into hiding. The victims told the police they are the victims of fraud. The men looked genuine and have even signed documents according to which the project was to begin immediately.
The men have now disappeared out of sight and their cell phones are ‘out of coverage area’.
The victims have provided security men the copies of documents signed by the suspects. The case has been handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department.
Kidnap bid foiled:
Police have arrested an unidentified person who attempted to kidnap a bedoun girl from in front of her home in Taima, reports Al-Anba daily.
The daily added, when the suspect approached her and attempted to grab her she screamed for help and the suspect escaped when the passersby came to her rescue.