KUWAIT CITY, Jul 1: The Ministry of Interior launched a comprehensive security campaign immediately after the deadline for residency violators to regularize their status ended at midnight on Sunday-Monday. The campaign, involving various field security sectors, targeted several areas across different governorates and resulted in the arrest of multiple violators. Legal actions were taken against the detainees, who were transferred to the competent authorities pending their deportation.

The General Department of Security Relations and Media emphasized that security sectors will continue inspection campaigns to apprehend residency law violators. The Ministry urged the public not to harbor or cover up violators to avoid legal consequences and to cooperate with security personnel by reporting violators through the emergency phone number (112).

In a statement, the Ministry explained that the campaign was executed following directives from First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef, and was supervised by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Lieutenant General Sheikh Salem Al-Nawaf.

The campaign was carried out by officers and members of the Public Security Directorates in the six governorates, supported by Residence Affairs Investigation officers. Launched at dawn on Monday, the campaign resulted in the arrest of over 450 violators of various nationalities within a few hours, with numbers expected to increase as the campaigns continued. This success was attributed to the efforts of the Ministry of Interior personnel.

In Jahra Governorate, the campaigns began at 3 a.m., led by Director of Jahra Security Brigadier General Hamad Al-Tawala and his assistant Brigadier General Hussein Dashti. The operation led to the arrest of 90 residency violators, including a Bangladeshi national who had violated the residency law since 2002 and held an outdated civil ID.

Farwaniya Governorate saw the highest number of arrests, with 170 violators apprehended in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, Khaitan, and Farwaniya. The operation, led by Farwaniya Security Director Brigadier Saleh Aqla and other security leaders, involved closing off entrances and exits and deploying foot patrols, resulting in the arrest of mainly Asian and Arab nationals, including several runaway domestic workers.

In Al-Ahmadi Governorate, over 55 violators were arrested, most of whom had expired residency permits. Additionally, 15 absentees, 4 drug abuse cases, and 2 individuals with court rulings were detained.

In Hawalli Governorate, patrols led by Hawalli Security Director Brigadier General Ziad Al-Khatib surrounded Salmiya, Hawalli, Maidan Hawalli, and Jabriya, arresting 76 residency violators. The Capital Security Directorate focused its patrols in Bneid Al-Qar, Al-Shaab, Salem Al-Mubarak Street, and Sharq, resulting in the arrest of 50 violators, primarily runaway domestic workers. In Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate, 14 violators were detained in the Al-Qurain and Subhan markets areas.

Dubbed “Black Monday Dawn on Violators,” this extensive campaign is the first step in a series of security operations planned to tighten control on violators across all governorates. Those arrested were taken to the deportation center, where their fingerprints were taken, and investigations were conducted to identify their harborers and employers, who will be summoned and held accountable.

The arrested individuals will be deported within four days, in coordination with their respective embassies to issue travel documents for those without passports. They will be banned from re-entering Kuwait for life and from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for five years.