The UAE has initiated the extradition process of a British citizen to Denmark who is suspected of defrauding Danish tax authorities of over $1 billion, according to a UAE official. Sanjay Shah, the suspect, allegedly submitted applications to the Danish Treasury for dividend tax refunds worth more than 9 billion Danish crowns ($1.32 billion) on behalf of investors and companies from around the world. Shah, who was arrested in Dubai in June, denies any wrongdoing. However, the emirate’s state media office announced on Monday that its attorney had rejected Shah’s appeal against his extradition.
The official stated in a statement sent to Reuters that the UAE had begun the extradition process but did not specify a timeframe. The British Foreign Ministry informed Reuters on Monday that they were providing consular assistance to a British man following his arrest in Dubai in June 2022 and were in contact with local authorities.
In recent years, the UAE has signed numerous extradition treaties, including with Denmark in March 2022, to overcome its reputation as a haven for illegal money. The UAE, the commercial and trade hub of the region, was placed on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) “grey” list in March 2022, a register of jurisdictions subject to increased monitoring for global financial crimes.
According to the FATF’s 2020 report on the UAE, the Gulf state had “provided mutual legal assistance (MLA) and extradition to a minimal extent considering its exposure to foreign predicate offenses and associated proceeds of crime.” However, the Emirati official claimed that the UAE had approved 30 extradition requests this year, has 37 ratified extradition treaties, and eight pending ratifications, 45 bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAs) agreements, and was committed to respecting the “letter and spirit” of these treaties.
Extradition involves one country handing over an accused or convicted criminal to another jurisdiction, usually as part of a legal or criminal investigation or trial. In the case of Sanjay Shah, the UAE has agreed to extradite him to Denmark to face trial on charges of tax fraud. Extradition requests must satisfy various conditions, including being based on offenses that are criminalized in both countries, being compatible with human rights law, and not resulting in the individual being subject to the death penalty.
The UAE has taken several steps to enhance its international cooperation on matters of criminal law in recent years. The country has increased its collaboration with foreign law enforcement agencies, signed treaties and agreements on mutual legal assistance and extradition, and established a dedicated authority for asset recovery. The government has also passed new laws to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, including the introduction of a new Federal Law on Combating Money Laundering Crimes and Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organizations.
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