KUWAIT CITY, July 24: Minister of Justice and State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Dr Faleh Al-Azab has activated the law banning smoking in closed and public places, while unveiling his intention to ask the help of the Environment Police Unit in conducting anti-smoking campaigns in courts and various departments of the ministry, reports Al-Rai daily.

He revealed the law stipulates penalties and fines, adding that the ministry will assign teams in its sections and departments to take action against those who will be proven to have violated the law. He also affirmed that smoking areas will be specified prior to the implementation of the law.

It is worth mentioning that the Environment Police Unit, which is under the Public Security Department in the Interior Ministry, recently launched a number of information campaigns to raise awareness among citizens and expatriates about Environment Protection Law number 42/2014 and the amended version – law number 99/2015 which prohibits smoking in public and closed places.

Syrian kidnapped: Police are looking for three Syrians who allegedly kidnapped a compatriot and forced him to sign on blank promissory notes, reports Al-Rai daily.

The victim informed securitymen from Nugra Police Station that three unknown Syrians bundled him into their car, drove him to an open ground where they fiercely assaulted him, took him to an apartment and forced him to sign on six blank promissory notes.

Egyptian stabbed: Some unknown individuals broke into the house of an Egyptian man in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area and stabbed him several times, reports Al-Anba daily.

The victim has been referred to Farwaniya hospital where he has been admitted in the Intensive Care Unit as he had sustained several serious injuries.

Meanwhile, officers from Residency Investigations Department arrested 16 housemaids and two expatriates and referred them to the deportation center because they violated residency and labor laws, reports Al-Anba daily.

One of the arrested expatriates used to offer domestic labor services on hourly basis via social media, specifically Facebook. He used to hire absconding housemaids for the purpose.

After he was arrested, he led securitymen to the housemaids working under him.

The other expatriate was arrested for illegally running an office for employing absconding housemaids.

Gamblers quarrel: An Asian expatriate was arrested for quarreling with five compatriots during a gambling session inside a commercial complex in Al-Mirqab area, reports Al-Rai daily

According to police report, the gamblers were sitting on the floor inside the commercial complex and gambling. After about one hour and 30 minutes, the suspects started fighting and hitting each other.

When the Operations Room of Ministry of Interior received information about the incident from bystanders, Capital securitymen rushed to the location and arrested one of the suspects, while the rest escaped.

When questioned, he revealed the identity of the rest of the suspects.

Search is ongoing to find and arrest the remaining suspects.