Kuwait City police stopped a black SUV in the Bneid Al-Qar area on June 27 2026 after hearing loud noises from the vehicle during a routine patrol a security source said. Officers found an Arab expatriate driving and four Kuwaiti citizens inside along with two bottles of imported liquor. Three of the passengers appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol prompting referrals to specialized departments.
The security source stated that the Capital Support Patrol acted on the disturbance to inspect the SUV. The search yielded the liquor bottles and the observed condition of the passengers led to the decision to involve the General Directorate for Drug Control for the four Kuwaitis. The Arab expatriate was transferred to the Deportation Department for processing.
According to Reuters Kuwait’s Interior Ministry announced in August 2025 the arrest of 67 people for producing and distributing illegal alcoholic drinks that caused 23 deaths. The ministry reported seizing six operational factories and four that were not yet running in residential and industrial zones during that crackdown. Such actions formed part of measures against illicit alcohol networks.
Kuwait prohibits the importation and consumption of alcohol under its laws with violations carrying significant penalties including fines and imprisonment. Non-Muslim residents can apply for limited import permits through approved channels the authorities have stated in public guidelines. The presence of imported bottles in this case has triggered an investigation into how they entered circulation.
The General Directorate for Drug Control handles cases involving suspected substance influence as part of the Ministry of Interior’s structure. Referrals like those in the June 27 incident allow for medical examinations and legal interviews. No additional items were reported seized from the SUV by the security source.
