Kuwait tightens customs checks as counterfeit goods, smuggling risks evolve
- Kuwait strengthens customs surveillance with advanced technology and tighter inspections
- Customs vigilance drives rise in seizures as Kuwait targets counterfeit and prohibited goods
- Customs warns online shoppers to check import rules before purchasing
- Declare cash above 3,000 dinars through Sahel, Kuwait Customs urges travelers
Kuwait’s rising customs seizures reflect improved inspection efficiency and stronger oversight rather than an increase in smuggling operations, Saleh Al-Omar, Vice President of Customs Ports Affairs, Research and Investigation at the General Administration of Customs, has said.
Al-Omar said customs authorities were working to strike a balance between protecting the country and society from prohibited and dangerous goods and facilitating the movement of shipments and travelers through land, sea and air ports.
He noted that counterfeit products had expanded beyond clothing, leather goods and branded items to include medical supplies and cosmetics, posing potential risks to consumer health and safety. Detecting such goods involves checking shipment documents, country of origin and declared value, alongside inspections, investigations, risk assessment and information-sharing with local and international authorities, including Interpol.
Al-Omar stressed that travelers carrying cash or negotiable financial instruments worth 3,000 dinars or more when entering or leaving Kuwait must declare them through the Sahel application or website. Declaration is mandatory, and travelers should retain supporting documents, such as bank withdrawal receipts or currency exchange records, to establish the source and ownership of the funds. Customs offices are also available at the airport to assist travelers with the procedure.
He urged travelers to check declaration requirements before departure and use the red customs channel whenever applicable rather than the green channel, warning that unfamiliarity with regulations does not remove the risk of violations.
Al-Omar attributed the increase in reported seizures to inspectors’ vigilance, improved operational readiness and coordination with the Ministry of Interior and other security agencies. He said initial suspicions identified during routine inspections could lead to wider investigations and the discovery of additional violations and networks.
He added that customs ports use specialized inspection equipment suited to their operations. Airports focus on passenger luggage, air cargo and postal parcels, seaports on containers and goods, and land crossings on travelers, trucks and vehicles. However, he emphasized that technology cannot replace the human element, with trained inspectors remaining central to effective customs control.
The administration also focuses on technical and legal training, including inspection procedures, goods handling and the preparation of seizure reports, while drawing on international expertise. Al-Omar encouraged consumers and importers to check whether products purchased online are permitted for import and whether they require prior approvals from relevant government authorities.
In a notable seizure, customs officials confiscated 53,000 cartons of cigarettes in a shipment at the Al-Salmi border crossing. Al-Omar said cigarette smuggling had extended beyond small quantities carried by individuals to larger commercial shipments seeking to exploit price and tax differences between countries. He reminded travelers that the permitted allowance is two cartons of cigarettes.
Al-Omar praised the support of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef and commended customs personnel for carrying out their duties around the clock, including under difficult weather conditions. He said protecting Kuwait remained a national responsibility, while facilitating legitimate trade and travel continued to be an essential part of the customs administration’s mission.
