Dubai police arrests suspect in Danish dividend tax fraud case

The Dubai Police has arrested one of the suspects in the Danish dividend tax fraud case, Mr. Sanjay Shah, with the aim of subsequent extradition for prosecution in Denmark. The arrest follows close cooperation between Danish and Emirati authorities. Since signing a bilateral extradition treaty with the UAE in March 2022, it has been the hope of the Danish government to establish a foundation for extraditing individuals suspected of committing crimes on Danish soil to Denmark for prosecution.

The arrest of Sanjay Shah is the first step in the process of prosecuting one of the main suspects in the Danish dividend tax fraud case.

Minister for Justice Mattias Tesfaye’s statement:

“I am a very happy Minister of Justice. The arrest in Dubai underscores, why it was so important that the Danish government succeeded in concluding an extradition agreement with the United Arab Emirates recently. The Danish public has been defrauded a staggering amount, and it should by no means be possible for suspected perpetrators to hide in the Middle East and thus avoid being held accountable in a Danish courtroom. Now, I am awaiting the legal process in the United Arab Emirates, and I am crossing my fingers that it will end with Sanjay Shah getting on a plane to Denmark, so he can be prosecuted here. "

Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod’s statement:

“The arrest of Sanjay Shah is most welcome news. It is the result of solid Danish diplomatic efforts, not least from our embassy in Abu Dhabi and our Consulate General in Dubai. Since 2015, the Danish and Emirati authorities have worked in close and constructive collaboration, and I wish to extend my thanks to the United Arab Emirates in this regard. We will continue to engage closely with the relevant authorities with the hope that Sanjay Shah before long will be extradited to Denmark for prosecution.”

Minister for Taxation Jeppe Bruus’ statement:

“Hopefully, this is a decisive step towards duly prosecuting the suspected perpetrators in the Danish dividend tax fraud case. The arrest sends a very strong signal that the Danish authorities will persecute tax fraud, regardless of location.”

Background

On 17 March 2022, the Danish government signed a bilateral extradition treaty between Denmark and the United Arab Emirates with a view to facilitate concrete prosecution cases. Other EU countries have signed similar treaties with the UAE. For example, the Netherlands and Belgium signed extradition treaties with the UAE in 2021.