Kuwait has foiled an attempt to smuggle 17 kilograms of drugs into the country hidden inside live sheep.
Narcotic trafficking, production and consumption in the Middle East have increased tremendously in the past decade, especially of the synthetic amphetamine Captagon.
“Seventeen kilograms of amphetamine were found hidden in the guts of imported sheep and were seized by officials in the presence of the Minister of Interior Sheikh Thamer Al Sabah in the Kabd area, west of the country,” state news agency Kuna reported.
Authorities have said the drugs came from neighbouring countries but did not specify which.
The suspects were “referred to the relevant authorities to take the necessary legal measures,” said the statement.
Sheikh Thamer spoke of his “pride and appreciation” of security officials' efforts to protect the country from drug trafficking.
Last month, they seized four kilograms of drugs hidden inside a furniture container shipped from Iran at Shuwaikh Port.
In August, Kuwait’s customs authorities said they had seized 1.5 kilograms of drugs hidden in boxes of fruit that also came from Iran.
Captagon is currently the most in-demand narcotic in the Middle East.
Millions of pills are being intercepted by customs officials in the Gulf every month as the region continues to crack down on trafficking.
Captagon, a brand name for the amphetamine fenethylline hydrochloride, was originally produced in the 1960s as an alternative to methamphetamine and was used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and, less commonly, depression.
It was banned in most countries in the 1980s because of its highly addictive nature.
Commercial manufacturing of the drug stopped but illegal production continues, often of counterfeit pills sold as Captagon.
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Tomorrow 2021
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The biog
Birthday: February 22, 1956
Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh
Arrived in UAE: 1978
Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi? “Everywhere. Wherever you go, you can relax.”
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CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
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How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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