Kuwait's War on Drugs: Thanks to the Ministry of Interior Officers

There are wars where the sound of cannons is not heard, yet they are no less dangerous than any other war, for they penetrate into our homes and threaten our children, our families, and the future of our society. This is the war on drugs. It is our duty, just as we criticize when there is negligence, to speak the truth when we see men performing their duties with courage and dedication that makes the entire Kuwait proud of them. Therefore, I say with great pride: Thank you to His Excellency the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Saud Al-Sabah, and thank you to the brave men of the Ministry of Interior, especially those in the Anti-Drug Department, Criminal Security, Coast Guard, and Customs.

The truth is that the figures alone reveal the scale of this war and reflect the brilliant success of the Ministry of Interior’s personnel. The Ministry of Interior announced the interception of the largest drug seizure in Kuwait’s history, consisting of five tons of raw “Lyrica” powder and approximately four million capsules, in addition to the seizure of a manufacturing facility and equipment used for production. The market value of the seized items was estimated at around 150 million Kuwaiti dinars. This is a staggering figure, but it represents not only a financial value, but also a massive quantity of poison that could have reached our children and destroyed the future of an entire generation.

Most importantly, there are indicators confirming that the security confrontation has begun to yield clear results. His Excellency the Minister of Interior announced a reduction in the quantities of drugs entering the country by up to 90% compared to the previous year, and later pointed to an 80% decrease in their entry, along with a price increase of between 200% and 300%. He affirmed that security agencies are intercepting approximately 95% of shipments attempting to enter the country. During the first half of 2026, drug smuggling cases dropped from 102 to 15, a decrease of nearly 86%. Drug trafficking cases also declined from 354 to 184, a reduction of about 49%. The Minister of Justice also announced a 44% decrease in drug and psychotropic substance trafficking cases before the Public Prosecution, from 255 to 144 cases during the initial months of implementing the new law.

These are figures that cannot be ignored, confirming that significant security and legislative efforts have begun to tighten the noose around drug dealers. However, behind these numbers lie painful human stories. There is a mother weeping for her son, a father searching for a way to save his flesh and blood, a wife suffering, and children paying the price for a family member’s addiction. Therefore, the issue of drugs is not merely a security matter, but a familial, health, and societal issue. This is why the new law is so important, along with the accompanying expansion of treatment and rehabilitation efforts and cooperation with the private sector, because those who fall into addiction need a chance for treatment and to return to their families and communities.

What the Ministry of Interior is doing today deserves all appreciation and pride. Its personnel have proven that they are up to the responsibility and that they stand as an impregnable barrier against attempts to target Kuwait and its people. However, the success of this confrontation and the reinforcement of its results require the concerted effort of all state institutions and society. Here, the Ministry of Education plays a crucial role in raising awareness among our student children, monitoring them, and protecting them, transforming awareness from seasonal campaigns into a continuous culture within our curricula, schools, and universities. Youth are the primary target of drug dealers, and therefore they must be the primary target of awareness and prevention programs, for an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The media, television channels, and social media platforms also play an extremely important role. These platforms can be a powerful weapon in spreading awareness, correcting misconceptions, warning about the dangers of drugs and psychotropic substances, and reaching youth in their language and in a style that resonates with them. The family also has a fundamental role in protecting its children through dialogue, monitoring, and support, and by being attentive to any changes that may indicate a problem.

The men of the Ministry of Interior are fighting drugs in the field, and it is our duty to fight alongside them in the home, school, media, and society. Therefore, the least we can offer to the men of the Ministry of Interior, who stand on the front lines, is to be their best support, to back their efforts, and to appreciate their sacrifices. With a word from the heart, we say with pride: May God brighten your faces, O men of the Ministry of Interior. You do not merely guard borders and entry points; you guard homes, children, mothers, fathers, and the future of an entire nation. Every shipment you intercept may be a human life you have saved, every dealer you arrest may be a home you have saved from collapse, and every network you dismantle may be generations you have protected from a dark path. We offer you all our thanks, appreciation, and gratitude.

We ask the Almighty God to protect Kuwait, its Amir, its Crown Prince, and its people from all harm, to perpetuate His blessings of security, safety, and stability upon the country, to protect its children from this dangerous scourge, to heal everyone afflicted by it, to support their families, and to open for them the door to a safe and dignified life. We ask Him, the Exalted, to turn the schemes of those who trade in these poisons back upon themselves, to make the harm they seek for our youth and daughters a calamity for them, and to protect our homeland from their evil and from anyone who entertains the thought of undermining the security of Kuwait and its people.

In conclusion, our collective responsibility remains to stand behind the men of the Ministry of Interior, to support their efforts, and to be partners in protecting our children. The security our nation enjoys is a great blessing, and preserving it is the responsibility of everyone.