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Following a nationwide controversy in Kuwait over the illegal smuggling of alcohol, the head of customs Khaled Al-Saif has been sent into early retirement, Gulf News reported.
Kuwait’s finance minister dismissed Al-Saif on Monday after two high profile cases of containers leaving Shuwaikh Port without being checked; it was later found that the containers contained hard liquor. Several MPs rallied for an investigation and action to be taken against the negligence of officials, and all forms of corruption within the Kuwaiti political system.
A police investigation on the smuggled containers was carried out, which led to the naming of five suspects; all of them Indian nationals.
The head of the operation was detained as he was leaving Kuwait on Saturday. Another suspect was also arrested in Kuwait, while a third was detained in the UAE, according to the interior ministry. The other two suspects managed to escape and reach India successfully.
Upon being questioned, the suspects confessed to smuggling both alcohol and fire-crackers into the country.