Kuwait cracks down on online gambling with new investigation team

Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced that its new investigative team has arrested members of an international online gambling network.

The General Department of Criminal Investigation made seven arrests of those suspected to be part of an international network linked to online gambling and illegal transfer of profits from abroad. The case began when authorities gained intelligence on the illegal activities from social media, sparking the creation of a dedicated investigative team.

The operation led to the arrest of seven suspects linked to the illegal network, which allegedly used companies like trade businesses, delivery services, health salons, and clothing and perfume shops as fronts for money laundering.

Kuwait Times reported that the total amount of funds seized amounted to KD 153,837 (around $507,600), around KD 25,000 (about $82,500) of which came from transfers from abroad through unofficial channels.

A wider crackdown on illegal activities in Kuwait

The suspects, the seized funds, and the details of the implicated companies have all been referred to the Public Prosecution in Kuwait, with collaboration on the investigation conducted with the Money Prosecution. The MoI highlighted that the current operation is part of the ministry’s ongoing commitment to combating organized crime in all forms.

This is echoed by another operation launching at the same time, which saw the Criminal Security Sector arrest 63 individuals for various violations, including labor law breaches, lack of proper documentation, and expired work visas.

The MoI told Kuwait Times that these efforts are part of ongoing efforts to maintain public safety and uphold the rule of law fairly across the country, requiring the cooperation of several governmental agencies.

Kuwait is not the only country in Asia to be cracking down on illegal gambling, with Macau and Cambodia also enacting law enforcement operations from the highest levels of government.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0

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