Not allowed to carry bags of others at Kuwait Airport

Picture this: you’re at Kuwait International Airport, someone you barely know asks you to take an extra bag through because they’re over the weight limit, and you say yes without thinking twice. That small favour could land you in serious trouble.

Kuwait’s General Directorate of Customs has just put out a clear warning about exactly this situation, and it’s worth reading before your next trip.

Why is Customs saying this now?

The Directorate’s reasoning is simple. Luggage that isn’t yours could contain items the law bans from being brought into Kuwait, taken out of the country, or even just carried through in transit. If customs officers find something prohibited in a bag you’re holding, it’s your name attached to it at that checkpoint, whatever the actual owner intended.

Customs didn’t name specific items in this advisory, but the point stands regardless: you’re responsible for what you’re carrying, even if you didn’t pack it and don’t know what’s inside.

What this means if you travel through Kuwait

This applies to everyone passing through Kuwait’s airports and land or sea customs points, citizens and expats alike. It matters most for a few common situations people rarely think twice about:

• A friend or relative asks you to take an extra suitcase because they’re near the weight limit.
• Someone at the airport asks a stranger to