KUWAIT: The coastguard foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs into the country, the Interior Ministry announced yesterday. Officers found 94 pieces of hashish, a heroin joint and a small bag of shabu (methamphetamine), in addition to drugs paraphernalia. The drugs were found on a boat that police followed based on information received about a potential smuggling attempt through sea. Two people who were on board were arrested and sent to the proper authorities.

Businessman sentenced
The criminal court yesterday sentenced a businessman and former lawmaker to 10 years in prison with labor for issuing a dud cheque for KD 240,000. Security sources added that the suspect fled a hospital and left for Saudi Arabia through the Salmi border exit with the help of his sister and two policemen, who were also sentenced to two and four years in prison for assisting a fugitive.

Firemen hurt
An apartment on the fifth floor of a Fintas building caught fire that spread to the ventilation shaft, causing a blaze on the first and second floors. The building was evacuated and the fire was brought under control. Two firemen suffered heat exhaustion and were taken to Adan Hospital. In another incident, three vehicles caught fire in Maidan Hawally. Salmiya fire station men dealt with the fire and prevented it from spreading.

Safety inspection
Inspection teams at Kuwait Fire Service Directorate continued their safety inspection campaigns under the direct supervision of the Deputy Director General for the Prevention Sector Maj Gen Khalid Fahd. The campaign resulted in issuing citations to 30 facilities that were warned of closure if the violations were not corrected in a maximum of 72 hours.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun and Meshaal Al-Enezi