Lebanese expatriate denied entry to kuwait over 170 km/h speeding violation
A Lebanese expatriate was denied entry into Kuwait through the Al-Salmi border crossing after authorities discovered a security block on his file linked to a serious speeding violation recorded nearly two months earlier, according to a security source.
The expatriate had reportedly been caught driving at 170 km/h before leaving Kuwait by road for Lebanon in June. When he attempted to return through Al-Salmi last week, border officials found that he had been placed on a list for deportation and barred from entering the country over the traffic violation.
The security source explained that the violation had not appeared in the Interior Ministry’s system when the expatriate left Kuwait because of the time required to process violations detected through surveillance cameras. Electronically recorded violations can appear within about 30 minutes, while violations detected indirectly through cameras may take 24 to 48 hours to be reviewed and entered into the ministry’s systems.
The expatriate reportedly told border officials that he may not have noticed he had exceeded the speed limit and offered to pay the 150 dinars fine and accept vehicle impoundment. However, the decision to prevent his entry remained in place, and he was instructed to return from where he came and arrange for his vehicle to be brought into Kuwait through the required procedures.
The incident comes as Kuwait enforces tougher penalties for serious speeding violations. Under the measures announced by the Interior Ministry in May, expatriates caught driving above 150 km/h face a traffic fine, vehicle impoundment and deportation.
At 170 km/h, the vehicle can be impounded for two months in addition to the fine and deportation, while exceeding 200 km/h can result in a fine, vehicle impoundment and deportation. For Kuwaiti citizens, penalties also increase with speed and can include vehicle impoundment and referral to prison when speeds exceed 200 km/h.
