Handball player and customs officer sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking in Kuwait

The four were arrested in different parts of Kuwait, which has a ruthless crackdown on drug traffickers and smugglers.

The manhunt began after police received a tip-off that the player was in possession of drugs and psychotropic substances. During a raid on his house, bags containing suspected marijuana, hashish and other psychotropic substances were seized from his bedroom.

The suspect admitted to possessing the substances for the purpose of trafficking and consuming them. He also led police to associates who were later arrested.

In recent years, Kuwait has increased its efforts to combat drug smuggling and trafficking.

The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry said earlier this month that anti-drug police had foiled an attempt to smuggle narcotics with an estimated market value of one million Kuwaiti dinars.

Kuwait's General Directorate for Combating Narcotics arrested two Asian foreigners who were in possession of around 80 kilograms of the drug, known locally as shabu, before they could put it on the market, the ministry added.

Both suspects admitted that the seized loot belonged to them and that they had been hired by a major foreign drug trafficker to sell the goods in Kuwait.

Last month, the ministry announced that an attempt to smuggle nearly 160 kilograms of hashish into the country had been foiled. Four people were arrested in connection with the attempt.

Last year, 12 drug traffickers were sentenced to death in Kuwait after being found guilty in various cases of smuggling or trafficking illegal substances, the Al Qabas newspaper reported last month.

Three of the inmates were caught growing drugs in home gardens and other locations and processing drugs for the purpose of trafficking. The nine others were convicted of drug possession and smuggling in collaboration with international gangs.