Kuwait City authorities have arrested 27 individuals on charges of tampering with expiration dates on imported fish, officials said on Saturday. The arrests were made by the General Department of Criminal Investigation’s Department for Combating Counterfeiting and Forgery Crimes as part of broader efforts to address commercial fraud and consumer safety.

Investigations began after receiving tips indicating that a group was altering production and expiration dates on fish crates to extend their shelf life. The suspects reportedly printed false labels and placed them on imported fish products before distributing them to restaurants, companies, and retail outlets.

Following authorization from the Public Prosecution, law enforcement teams conducted raids at the Central Fish Market, where the individuals were detained. Authorities also confiscated 16 refrigerated transport vehicles carrying a total of 894 crates of fish with manipulated expiry dates.

The Ministry of Interior emphasized that the operations aim to curb fraudulent practices in the food supply chain and ensure consumer protection. The arrested individuals are currently subject to further legal procedures.