Interior Ministry: Dismantling of a network for stealing diesel and reselling it within the country

The General Directorate of Criminal Investigations, represented by the Capital Governorate Criminal Investigations Department, has dismantled a network involved in stealing diesel from vehicles belonging to government entities and private companies, collecting it, and reselling it to projects within the State of Kuwait. The Ministry of Interior stated in a statement on Friday that investigations and follow-up efforts led to the discovery that several drivers were misappropriating diesel from vehicles assigned to them in the course of their duties, without the knowledge of their employers, and taking them to a site in the Umghara area for sale and collection into dedicated tankers. Investigations further revealed that a Kuwaiti national provided the tankers used for extracting and collecting diesel in exchange for 1,600 Kuwaiti dinars per month under a leasing arrangement, fully aware that they were being used for illegal activities. After completing investigative procedures and monitoring the site, the main suspects were apprehended in flagrante delicto while extracting diesel from one of the vehicles, while other suspects were arrested while purchasing the collected quantities. The Ministry of Interior stated that the operation resulted in the arrest of 41 suspects, including those who stole, sold, and bought diesel, as well as those present with them, and the seizure of 38 vehicles belonging to government entities and private companies.