Kuwait arrests 3 for hiding e-cigarettes in food deliveries to teens

It started with a food delivery that looked completely normal. A rider showed up, handed over a bag of what seemed like a regular order, and left. But inside that bag, police say, was an e-cigarette meant for a high school student.

That delivery is how one of three people now under arrest in Kuwait got caught. The Ministry of Interior says the case began weeks earlier, when officers heard that e-cigarettes were spreading among some high school students, and decided to trace exactly how the products were reaching them.

It’s a story that touches on something many parents in Kuwait already worry about: what’s really inside the orders their kids receive at the door. For context, we’ve also covered a Farwaniya raid that destroyed nearly 99kg of bad food, part of a wider pattern of checks on what’s being sold and delivered across the country.

How the investigation unfolded

The General Department of Criminal Investigation, part of the Criminal Security Sector, opened the case after getting tips about e-cigarettes circulating among high school students. That’s a serious concern anywhere, but especially when minors are the target.

Officers from the Capital Governorate Criminal Investigation Department followed the trail and landed on a grocery store. According to the Ministry of Interior, this store was allegedly used to receive orders, prepare them and package them in a way that hid what was actually inside.

Once investigators had enough evidence, they got the legal authorisation needed to act. They waited for a delivery to go out, then arrested the suspect making that delivery on the spot.

That arrest opened the door to the rest of the operation. Police then raided the premises used to prepare the orders. Two more suspects were arrested there. This part of the raid wasn’t a solo police job either. Judicial officers from Kuwait Municipality, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition all took part, which tells you how many different government bodies had a stake in shutting this down.

What the suspects allegedly admitted

The Ministry of Interior said all three suspects admitted their involvement once questioned. Two of them are accused of running the grocery store, preparing the food orders, and concealing e-cigarettes inside them to make money. The third is accused of delivering the orders, allegedly knowing exactly what was hidden inside.

Authorities issued the necessary violations against the operation and confiscated the seized items. The ministry said legal measures have already been taken against the three, and the case is being prepared for referral to the relevant authority, meaning this isn’t over yet. It will now move through the legal process.

This isn’t the first time authorities have shut down a business for breaking the rules behind the scenes. Readers may remember a bakery caught using expired ingredients or the 15 workers arrested when illegal businesses were shut in Farwaniya, part of the same broader push to check what’s really happening behind grocery and food counters.

What this means for parents and the wider community

The ministry’s message here wasn’t just about the arrests. It was aimed directly at parents. Officials said the case shows how some people try to reach minors by hiding products inside everyday deliveries, using the convenience of food apps as cover.

The ministry urged parents to keep an eye on what their children order online, to check the actual products that arrive at the door, and to keep talking openly with their kids about the risks of smoking and vaping.

It’s a reminder that this isn’t only a police matter. The ministry said protecting children is a shared responsibility between families and security agencies, not something left to one side alone.

For expat and Kuwaiti families alike, the practical takeaway is simple: a food delivery bag isn’t always just food. If something seems off about what your teenager ordered, or who it’s from, it’s worth asking questions early rather than later.

You can find more coverage like this on our Local news hub, where we track enforcement actions like this one across Kuwait.

Quick answers