Kuwait busts diesel theft network, arrests 41 suspects

KUWAIT CITY, Sep 4: Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior has dismantled a network accused of stealing diesel fuel from vehicles belonging to government agencies and private companies, then reselling it to projects across the country.

The General Department of Criminal Investigation, represented by the Capital Governorate Investigation Department, uncovered the operation following investigations and surveillance. Authorities said several drivers had been secretly siphoning diesel from vehicles assigned to them through their jobs and transporting it to a site in the Amghara area, where they collected the fuel in tankers for resale.

Investigators also found that a Kuwaiti citizen had been leasing the tankers used to siphon and store the stolen diesel for KD 1,600 per month, allegedly knowing they were being used for the illegal activity.

After completing surveillance and investigative procedures, security personnel arrested the main suspects while they were allegedly siphoning diesel from a vehicle. Security personnel detained other suspects while they were purchasing the collected fuel.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 41 suspects, including individuals accused of stealing, selling and purchasing the diesel, as well as others allegedly involved in the operation. Authorities also seized 38 vehicles belonging to government agencies and private companies.

The Ministry of Interior said the arrests were part of its ongoing efforts to combat theft and other illegal activities in Kuwait.