KUWAIT

PAGE 1 OF 6

GLOBAL

ORGANIZED

CRIME INDEX

Funding provided by the

United States Government.

ENACT is funded by the European Union

and implemented by the Institute for

Security Studies and INTERPOL, in

affiliation with the Global Initiative Against

Transnational Organized Crime.

KUWAIT

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

HUMAN SMUGGLING

EXTORTION & PROTECTION RACKETEERING

ARMS TRAFFICKING

TRADE IN COUNTERFEIT GOODS

ILLICIT TRADE IN EXCISABLE GOODS

FLORA CRIMES

FAUNA CRIMES

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE CRIMES

HEROIN TRADE

COCAINE TRADE

CANNABIS TRADE

SYNTHETIC DRUG TRADE

CYBER-DEPENDENT CRIMES

FINANCIAL CRIMES

MAFIA-STYLE GROUPS

CRIMINAL NETWORKS

STATE-EMBEDDED ACTORS

FOREIGN ACTORS

PRIVATE SECTOR ACTORS

8.00

6.50

2.00

6.00

3.00

5.50

6.00

5.00

4.50

6.50

7. 0 0

6.50

7. 0 0

1.00

6.00

4.00

6.50

CRIMINAL ACTORS

4.70

CRIMINAL MARKETS

5.70

5.2 0

CRIMINALITY SCORE

of 193 countries

of 46 Asian countries

of 14 Western Asian countries

                



                



5.54

RESILIENCE SCORE

  

PAGE 2 OF 6

GLOBAL

ORGANIZED

CRIME INDEX

Funding provided by the

United States Government.

ENACT is funded by the European Union

and implemented by the Institute for

Security Studies and INTERPOL, in

affiliation with the Global Initiative Against

Transnational Organized Crime.

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND

ACCOUNTABILITY

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

NATIONAL POLICIES AND LAWS

JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND DETENTION

LAW ENFORCEMENT

TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING

ECONOMIC REGULATORY CAPACITY

VICTIM AND WITNESS SUPPORT

PREVENTION

NON-STATE ACTORS

5.00

4.50

6.00

5.50

6.00

5.50

6.50

5.50

           

5.54

RESILIENCE SCORE

of 193 countries

of 46 Asian countries

of 14 Western Asian countries

KUWAIT

5.2 0

CRIMINALITY SCORE

CRIMINAL ACTORS

4.70

CRIMINAL MARKETS

5.70



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GLOBAL

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CRIME INDEX

CRIMINALITY

CRIMINAL MARKETS

PEOPLE

Human trafficking continues to be a significant problem

in Kuwait, specifically in the forms of labour and sexual

exploitation. Kuwait relies heavily on foreign nationals hailing

from South and Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East

who seek employment in sectors like domestic service,

construction and hospitality. Although some migrants enter

willingly for economic purposes, they remain vulnerable to

trafficking and exploitation. The Kafala system, which binds

migrant workers to their employers as sponsors, further

heightens their vulnerability to abusive work relationships.

Unskilled labourers and female domestic workers face even

greater vulnerability due to limited diplomatic representation

and restricted access to assistance.

Foreign nationals seeking employment in Kuwait may

engage with labour recruiting companies that promise

legitimate documents for a fee. However, instead of

receiving enforceable agreements, genuine visas, and

actual job positions, they fall victim to unenforceable

agreements, counterfeit visas, and non-existent employment

opportunities. Abuses include passport confiscation,

movement restrictions, long working hours, non-payment

of wages, food deprivation and physical or sexual abuse. To

exacerbate matters, these individuals frequently work in

unsafe conditions, without formal employment contracts,

and are offered only inadequate housing. Fraudulent

visas and fake work permits remain pervasive in Kuwait,

with illicit markets for visa trading expanding onto social

media platforms.

As stated, Kuwait relies heavily on imported labour, which

also promotes a large human smuggling market. Irregular

migrants are typically smuggled into the country through

the al-Abdali border crossing. The use of fraudulently

obtained visas and fake work permits remains common.

However, when migrant workers are unable to obtain

such documents, they opt to be covertly smuggled into the

country. Cases of extortion and protection racketeering

appear to be sporadic and anecdotal.

TRADE

Despite an increase in small and light arms, which has posed

an increasingly dangerous threat to security, the illicit arms

trade in Kuwait has not flourished. The country’s small

geographical area allows for efficient border control and

effective law enforcement measures against smuggling.

However, the defence and security sector in Kuwait faces a

significant risk of corruption, particularly in operational and

procurement areas, due to the absence of public reporting.

While cases of attempted arms trafficking into the country

have been recorded, information regarding the scope and

scale of such activities is scarce.

Kuwait is a significant player in the global counterfeit

market. Counterfeit goods have gained popularity in local

markets throughout the country, with increased availability

of counterfeited watches, glasses, bags and clothing. The

prevalence of counterfeit clothing and luxury brands,

primarily originating from China, is an ongoing issue.

Authorities frequently make large-scale seizures of fake

goods at the country’s national airport. The counterfeit

market also extends to electrical goods, such as phone

batteries, fans, kitchen equipment, hair straighteners and

car parts. These products pose a growing risk, as they have

been associated with potential dangers like electrocution

or accidents.

Kuwait has a limited market for excisable goods. Incidents

of the illicit trade of tobacco products, hookah supplies,

and alcohol have been sporadic, and the extent of the issue

remains unclear. Intercepted shipments of tobacco and

alcoholic drinks destined for Kuwait or passing through

to Saudi Arabia primarily occur at the borders.

ENVIRONMENT

An illicit market for agarwood is reported to exist in Kuwait,

although its dynamics are unknown. The UAE is an important

part of the illicit agarwood trade, importing, consuming

and re-exporting agarwood, with Kuwait being among its

primary end destinations. Data indicates that Kuwait is

also a re-exporter of agarwood. Moreover, Kuwait serves

as a transit country for the illegal trade of various wildlife

products. Rhino horn, ivory, and pangolins are primarily

traded to supply Asian markets. Live rare species, including

cheetahs, tigers, birds, reptiles, eagles, great apes, and

sharks are also traded illicitly. Cheetah cubs, in particular,

are highly sought after as status symbols in the Gulf region.

Social media platforms, including the Kuwait-based app

‘4sale’, are used for trading wildlife illegally.

Even though Kuwait has one of the largest oil reserves in

the world, the boost in oil-derivative prices in neighbouring

countries has increased the smuggling of oil derivatives into

the country. Oil smuggling occurs through both seaports

and land borders. Additionally, reports have surfaced

regarding gold smuggling flows to India and Bangladesh,

but these appear to be small in scale.

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DRUGS

Heroin and cocaine have a relatively low presence in Kuwait,

although a small domestic market does exist. The al-Abdali

border crossing with Iraq is a primary entry point for these

drugs, with reports of taxi drivers being involved in their

distribution. Attempts at smuggling cocaine via postal

parcels or by air have been reported. The exact dynamics

of the heroin and cocaine markets are unclear although it

is known that in some cases their trafficking in the country

is managed by foreign actors.

Kuwait is a destination country for the cannabis trade

with traffickers, both domestic and foreign actors, using

land borders and seaports to smuggle the drug into the

country. Similarly, it serves as a destination country for the

synthetic drug trade. Spice, a type of synthetic cannabis,

is the most prevalent drug in Kuwait. Significant synthetic

drug seizures have occurred in recent years, with multiple

incidents involving Captagon, methamphetamine, tramadol

and Lyrica pills, which are primarily trafficked into Kuwait

via air cargo.

CYBER-DEPENDENT CRIMES

Kuwait is an appealing target country for cybercriminals

worldwide, as it has made substantial investments in ICT

infrastructure in recent years. Although Kuwait experiences

relatively low numbers of users affected by local threats,

there has been a noticeable rise in distributed malicious

files, encounters with ransomware, and malicious downloads

compared to previous years.

FINANCIAL CRIMES

Financial crimes, especially cyber-enabled forms, are a

growing concern in Kuwait. Kuwaiti citizens are victims

primarily of online scams, including phishing and non-delivery

of paid goods. Scammers typically impersonate well-known

brands in the Gulf region, such as telecom companies

and e-commerce platforms. The rise in digital payments

and reliance on technology for work has increased the

population’s vulnerability to online financial crimes. Kuwait

experiences a high number of email attacks, malware attacks

and scam-related links, with millions of such incidents

reported. Instances of fraudulent operations targeting

clients of local banks have been observed, wherein clients

are deceived into clicking on links that enable fraudsters

to gain remote access to their devices and steal banking

data. Embezzlement of public funds and corruption are

also pervasive in the country.

CRIMINAL ACTORS

Private sector actors, in particular recruitment agencies,

play a major role in criminal markets, most notably in

human trafficking. Private entities are also heavily involved

in money laundering activities and other forms of illicit

activities, making them the most pervasive category of

criminal groups in Kuwait.

State-embedded actors are also significantly involved in

illicit activities in the country. The Kuwaiti elite exert control

over key economic sectors, leading to informal monopolies

and oligopolies. Kuwait’s extensive oil reserves are subject

to corruption cases, including those exposed by the Pandora

Papers investigation. High-level state officials are involved

in the organized theft of public funds related to state control

over the lucrative oil and gas sector. Additionally, in terms

of bribery, facilitation payments and gifts are widespread

and occur with impunity, and state-embedded actors also

aid the illicit activities of criminal networks. The latter for

the most part engage in human smuggling and trafficking

as well as drug trafficking, taking advantage of their ties

to state-embedded actors to avoid investigations, escape

prosecution or obtain fraudulent documents.

Criminal networks organize online ‘slave markets’ where

they post listings of human beings for sale. Moreover,

criminal networks engage in smuggling drugs into Kuwait,

which has been exacerbated by Iraqi instability and a lack

of control along the Kuwait–Iraq border. While foreign

criminal actors have minimal influence, they are involved

in drug trafficking and cyber-related crimes. However,

foreign actors are probably less influential than domestic

criminal networks and state-embedded actors. There is no

evidence to suggest that mafia-style groups exist in Kuwait.

RE S ILIENCE

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

Both its geographical positioning and its high dependence

on foreign labour make Kuwait attractive for organized

crime operations. As drug trafficking and human smuggling

and trafficking are the most prominent markets in Kuwait,

they tend to feature more strongly in the government’s

anti-organized crime agenda. The Arab Spring uprisings

have increased political pressure on Kuwait, especially

with respect to a lack of transparency as well as social and

political freedoms. Recent power struggles between the

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CRIME INDEX

government and the elected assembly have resulted in

multiple government resignations, reflecting ongoing tensions.

Tribal influence in politics, traditionally supportive of

the government, has become increasingly oppositional,

leading to further political strife. The marginalized Bedouin

community has been denied citizenship rights and state

services, amplifying opposition narratives against the

government. Transparency and accountability remain areas

of concern, as officials face more political rather than legal

accountability. The government exercises control over the

dissemination of information and online services, limiting

transparency and civil liberties. Despite anti-corruption

strategies, effective implementation of anti-corruption

laws remains a challenge, and corruption cases are often

left unprosecuted.

Kuwait has ratified international treaties and agreements

related to organized crime and corruption, including

the United Nations Convention against Transnational

Organized Crime. The country collaborates with international

organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs

and Crime and INTERPOL to combat organized crime.

Bilateral agreements on extradition and labour regulations

have been established with various countries, although

issues related to migrant worker abuse persist. Kuwait

has a comprehensive framework pertaining to a variety

of organized crime activities, including human smuggling

and trafficking. However, its enforcement continues to be

problematic. Moreover, labour laws lack effective protections

to provide workers safeguards against exploitative practices,

and sponsorship laws tie migrant workers’ legal residence

and valid immigration status to employers, which limits

their movement and punishes workers for fleeing abusive

workplaces. Kuwait is also actively engaged in initiatives to

enhance cybersecurity and protect critical infrastructure.

Efforts to address cybersecurity include the establishment

of the national cybersecurity agency and the enactment

of relevant laws and regulations. The cybercrime law

criminalizes cyber-related offences and provides a legal

framework for investigation and prosecution, which

intends to protect important sectors, such as oil and gas,

from cyber threats.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SECURITY

Executive pressure renders the justice system unsuccessful

in guaranteeing fair trial and due process rights, despite the

judiciary being independent on paper. Domestic workers

lack expedited legal mechanisms for seeking redress,

back wages, or permission to return home. The supreme

judicial council, approved by the emir, appoints judges,

with Kuwaiti citizens serving for a lifetime and non-citizens

for up to three years. While the judiciary has supported

the government in some cases, it has also ruled against

government decisions and advocated for the improvement

of conditions for blue-collar workers during the COVID-19

pandemic. Prosecution and conviction rates for organized

crime cases in Kuwait are low, leading to concerns about

the duration of judicial processes and the lack of fast trials

for trafficking cases. Victims of organized crime hesitate

to report due to lengthy litigation and appeals processes,

allowing traffickers to act with impunity.

Law enforcement agencies have been criticized for abuses

during arrests and interrogations, undermining their

effectiveness. In addition, ongoing conflicts in Western Asia

are increasing Kuwait’s vulnerability to organized crime.

Authorities have encountered difficulties in controlling the

smuggling of people and goods across the Iraqi-Kuwaiti

and Kuwaiti-Saudi borders, putting strain on the Kuwaiti

army and border security forces. Moreover, drug smugglers

persistently devise new and creative methods to carry out

their illegal activities.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT

The country is a member of the Middle East and North

Africa Financial Action Task Force, and has implemented a

comprehensive legal framework and established a financial

intelligence unit to create safeguards against money

laundering. However, corruption and money laundering

continue to be interconnected in Kuwait, with public officials

engaging in corrupt activities with little accountability.

While some major money laundering cases related to real

estate fraud involving prominent individuals have been

examined by the courts, money laundering charges are

often treated as secondary offences, downplaying the link

between corruption and money laundering. Nonetheless,

Kuwait overall actively collaborates with national and

international agencies to combat money laundering and

terrorist financing.

While Kuwait has taken steps to improve its regulatory

capacity, it faces serious barriers to foreign investment.

The requirement for Kuwaiti ownership in businesses limits

foreign participation, and the dominance of established

business elites with political ties poses challenges for

new players. Transparency issues, contract delays and

favoritism towards the local population further hinder

foreign investment. However, efforts have been made to

address monopolistic structures and promote competition.

Initiatives to enhance investor protections and support small

and medium-sized enterprises in international trade have

also been implemented, aiming to improve the investment

climate in Kuwait.

CIVIL SOCIETY AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

In Kuwait, many migrant workers who leave their jobs

without permission face criminal penalties, detention, and

deportation. Fearful of organized crime and lacking adequate

legal protection, they often fail to file complaints or report

human trafficking cases. Women and girls face challenges

due to male guardianship laws, which prevent them from

seeking assistance or could result in their arrest for being

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absent from home. The absence of domestic violence

shelters further discourages witnesses and victims from

coming forward. Assistance and protection are provided

to female domestic workers in government-managed

shelters, while male migrant workers lack similar support.

The government uses training, workshops and participation

in conferences to increase awareness among civil servants

and first responders in combating organized crime. However,

prevention efforts are still in the early stages, as recruitment

processes and employment agencies continue to enable

abuses, such as labour and sexual exploitation. Public

awareness campaigns have been conducted to educate the

population on human trafficking, and a national strategy has

been implemented with brochures distributed to foreign

migrant workers. Efforts to combat human trafficking

include the installation of security cameras to reduce

violent crimes, but violence between migrant workers and

employers remains an issue. Whistleblower protection laws

in Kuwait vary in effectiveness, and some reports suggest

that whistleblowers still face retaliation and difficulties in

reporting corruption.

Kuwait exercises strict censorship laws, limiting freedom of

expression and threatening critics with arrest. Civil society

is largely monitored by state authorities, although certain

informal settings are insulated from intervention. While

freedoms of assembly and association are protected by

law, limitations exist in practice, with restrictions on the

registration and licensing of NGOs. Activism, particularly

among youth and women, has increased with the use of

online campaigns and social media platforms. Kuwaiti society

holds a positive view of democracy and its parliamentary

tradition, although the legitimacy of the monarchical

system is still recognized. Traditional newspapers with the

largest market share tend to avoid criticizing authorities,

and state-controlled information channels limit freedom

of expression. Corruption remains a sensitive subject for

journalists, and authorities impose constraints on civil

liberties despite the influence of the elected parliament.

This summary was funded in part by a grant from the United States

Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated

herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of

the United States Department of State.