Ministry bans drones for security reasons

KUWAIT: The recent seizure of a remote-control drone hovering above the Ministry of Interior’s (MoI) headquarters call for immediate and strict measures to prevent the threats such drones pose to national security, said security sources. The sources explained that MoI has contacted the civil aviation department, the ministry of commerce and industry and the customs demanding a ban on importing such aircraft without prior permission from MoI. The interior ministry also decided confiscating any drones that had been already imported without permission and referring importers to relevant authorities for evading taxes and importing banned items without permission.

The sources highlighted that a decision was made banning all companies and individuals from importing Phantom drones without MoI’s written approval. The decision also includes referring individuals arrested with the possession of any of these electronic aircraft to state security for investigation, especially after realizing the threats they pose to national security.

Moreover, the sources said MoI’s undersecretary Lt Gen Suleiman Al-Fahd called a meeting between MoI’s concerned officials and relevant ones in other state bodies like the customs department, the ministry of commerce and the civil aviation department to discuss the measures. — Al-Rai