The Ministry of Interior said in a statement that the Criminal Security Sector represented by the General Administration of Criminal Investigation and its Land Border Investigations Department had foiled an attempt to smuggle 53314 cartons of cigarettes through the Salmi border crossing. The cartons were concealed in cardboard boxes and listed in the customs declaration as aluminum dishes according to the ministry. Officers identified the mismatch between the declared and actual contents after conducting a detailed search of the truck.
According to the ministry the Syrian national who was driving the truck and a Yemeni national employed at a customs clearance office were arrested in connection with the preparation of the false declaration. The driver when confronted guided a security team to the loading location inside an agricultural holding in the Abdali area. In coordination with the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources the team located three warehouses that contained large amounts of commercial goods without the required licenses.
The ministry added that an Indian national was detained after he admitted taking part in loading the tobacco products following instructions from a Kuwaiti citizen. That citizen had left the country on the day the loading took place prompting the placement of a security restriction against him. The statement indicated that the seized cartons and all arrested individuals were referred to the relevant authorities for legal action.
This seizure is the latest in operations carried out under directives from First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah to strengthen oversight at border posts. The ministry has reported similar smuggling attempts at both Salmi and Nuwaiseeb crossings in 2026 with prior cases involving concealment in vehicle compartments and false declarations. Data compiled from ministry statements show a pattern of multi-national involvement in such activities.
Investigators from the General Administration of Criminal Investigation are continuing their work to trace the full network behind the smuggling and the unlicensed storage sites. The Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources provided logistical support during the inspection of the Abdali property. The combined findings from the border stop and the subsequent raid have expanded the scope of the case.
The ministry’s announcement comes amid its broader campaign against illicit trade which in the first half of 2026 included the referral of 1200 drug-related cases to prosecution according to ministry statistics released in August. While the current case centers on cigarette smuggling rather than narcotics it shares the objective of disrupting unauthorized cross-border movements. All evidence gathered has been documented for presentation to the Public Prosecution.
