The General Administration of Customs reported that inspectors at the Nuwaiseeb border crossing discovered a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber pistol with 16 rounds of ammunition in the glove compartment of an entering vehicle on Thursday. The driver subsequently handed over an AYVAZ 6.35-caliber pistol together with three rounds before a personal search could be conducted. All seized firearms and ammunition have been confiscated and the case forwarded to the Ministry of Interior for legal proceedings.
Similar operations have been conducted at other land borders, the customs general department noted in previous announcements. One such interception at Abdali in August 2025 uncovered two 9mm Glock firearms, 50 matching rounds and 1,395 shotgun shells hidden in a vehicle from Iraq according to the department. Those items were also referred to the Ministry of Interior as part of standard procedure.
The Ministry of Interior reported that a voluntary surrender campaign from March 24 to April 8, 2026, saw 2,818 firearms and 284,860 rounds of ammunition handed in by members of the public. This drive formed part of wider efforts to clear unlicensed weapons from circulation in the country. The ministry presented the totals as evidence of public cooperation with security initiatives.
Nuwaiseeb functions as Kuwait’s principal southern border post with Saudi Arabia and handles extensive daily crossings, making it a focal point for customs activity. The General Administration of Customs maintains rigorous inspection regimes at this and other ports to counter smuggling risks. Departmental records from comparable cases show consistent referral of violations to law enforcement partners.
The General Administration of Customs affirms that it will not tolerate any attempt to smuggle weapons or ammunition. The administration has stated it will continue to intensify inspections at all land, sea and air ports of entry. All legal measures are taken against violators in such cases.
Kuwait’s security apparatus integrates border control with domestic collection programs to minimize the availability of illicit arms. The Interior Ministry’s spring 2026 campaign surpassed previous collection drives in scale according to the figures released. Such programs complement the frontline work performed by customs teams at crossings like Nuwaiseeb and Abdali.
