Kuwait police discover thousands of bottles of smuggled Scotch
The bust took place ahead of the Eid Al Adha Islamic festival in the alcohol-free emirate.
Five hundred boxes containing the Johnnie Walker Red Label had been hidden in a container packed with building materials.
On seeing a truck parked by the side of the road officers inspected it and found the liquor by chance, said police chief Abdullah Safah.
"When the policemen approached it, they did not find the driver, but they saw a Red Label bottle. They immediately called a back-up. The container was subsequently opened and the policemen found 500 boxes of whisky hidden in the middle of construction material."
The lorry has since been confiscated. Police are now seeking to identify its owners and find out how the whisky got past customs officers.
"Dealers trading in drugs and whisky tend to exploit national and festive occasions to push their poison among young people and addicts, hoping they would not be caught by the police. Officers are fully aware of their tactics and will do their best to foil their illicit and ominous deals," Safah said.
The possession of whisky is strictly prohibited in the Gulf state.
Under Article 206 (a) of Kuwait's Penal Law, "any person who brings, imports or manufactures alcoholic or intoxicating beverages for the purpose of trading shall be penalised for a period not exceeding 10 years."
