Dubai Police arrest Sanjay Shah in biggest tax fraud and money laundering cases

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Police have arrested Sanjay Shah, a suspect in a DKK 12 billion ($1.7 billion) dividend-tax fraud case in Denmark, with the aim of subsequent extradition for prosecution in Denmark.

The arrest follows close cooperation between Danish and Emirati authorities per a recently signed bilateral extradition treaty in March 2022, establishing a foundation for extraditing individuals suspected of committing crimes on Danish soil to Denmark for prosecution.

Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, reaffirmed that Dubai Police, per the directives and instructions of our wise leadership, has always been keen on maintaining strong, active, and vital communication channels with the world's police and justice agencies to tackle transnational organised crime including financial crimes and fraud.

Lt. Gen. Al Marri also praised the tremendous efforts made by the force's team from the General Department of Criminal Investigations, who located, tracked, and arrested the suspect in coordination with the Dubai Public Prosecution.

Expert Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, explained that through the exchange of information with the Danish authorities on the 52-year old British national -Mr Sanjay Shah, a task force of elite officers and members from the Wanted Persons Department and the Anti-Money Laundering Department investigated, gathered evidence, and tracked the suspect's movements and whereabouts.

Brigadier Jamal Al Jallaf, director of the General Department of Criminal Investigations, said they had received an international arrest warrant from the Danish authorities via the Ministry of Justice represented by the Department of International Cooperation and the Public Prosecution in Dubai, to arrest Mr Shah for a dividend-tax fraud case in Denmark worth DKK 12 billion ($1.7 billion). He explained that Dubai Police raid officers carried out the arrest with extreme precision and professionalism.

Brig. Al Jallaf explained that Mr Shah was wanted by Danish authorities for being involved in a scheme in which foreign businesses pretended to own shares in Danish companies and claim tax refunds for which they were not eligible. He pointed out that Mr Shah, along with others, is facing charges of dividend-tax fraud and money laundering.

“The fraud scheme, known as 'cum-ex' trading, involved submitting more thousands of applications to the Danish Treasury on behalf of investors and companies from several countries around the world in order to receive dividend tax refunds,” he continued.

Brig. Al Jallaf pointed out that Mr Sanjay Shah will be handed over to the competent Danish authorities after presenting him before the Public Prosecution in Dubai and taking legal actions to obtain his extradition warrant per the international laws in this regard.