Syrians caught stealing and selling sand in Al-Wafra area

The General Directorate of Criminal Investigations, represented by the Ahmadi Governorate Criminal Investigations Department, arrested two Syrian nationals for stealing sand from state-owned lands in the Al-Wafra desert area, transporting it, and selling it for financial gain. This operation is part of ongoing security efforts to protect state assets and combat encroachments upon them.

The arrests followed surveillance of the suspects extracting and loading sand without authorization using three vehicles: two transport trucks and one excavator. It was determined that one truck was rented at a monthly cost of 141 Kuwaiti dinars, and the excavator was rented at 193 Kuwaiti dinars per month.

Upon confrontation with the evidence against them, the suspects confessed to stealing sand from the site, transporting it, and selling it to farmers in the Al-Wafra area for 15 dinars, using the proceeds for their personal benefit.

The Ministry of Interior reaffirms that sand and natural resources are national wealth owned by the state. Their theft, excavation, and unauthorized sale constitute an infringement on public funds and state property. Under Kuwaiti Law No. (1) of 1993 concerning the Protection of Public Funds and the Kuwaiti Penal Code, such acts are classified as felonies—specifically, misappropriation of public funds or facilitating such misappropriation—rather than simple theft offenses.