DUBAI // The UK has recovered more than Dh1.8 million from the sale of a Dubai Marina apartment owned by a British drug dealer, in a ground-breaking move.
In what has been hailed as the first successful UK confiscation order in the UAE, the flat belonging to Redwan El Ghaidouni, 38, was sold after he was convicted at Kingston Crown Court in March 2011 of importing and possessing drugs.
The money was recovered by the crown prosecution’s proceeds of crime unit in London, working closely with the recently deployed CPS asset recovery adviser in Dubai.
The cash, which now goes into the British public purse, was recovered after an asset-sharing agreement between the UK and the UAE.
Emirati lawyer Yousuf Al Bahar said the agreement was a sign of great maturity between the two countries, and would be a major deterrent to criminals operating in the UAE and Britain.
“This will be the rope tightening around the neck of many individuals and even groups of criminals who make profit from illegal activities,” Mr Al Bahar said.
“It’s going to help reduce and even choke the activities of organised crime and money laundering, and therefore protect more innocent people in the UK and UAE.”
He called for more countries to sign agreements, on the condition that it does not breach their justice systems.
Mr Al Bahar also said this case should be highlighted so that people knew they could not get away with the proceeds of crime.
“The general awareness of the public is also a weapon to scare off criminals who, when reading about this case and this agreement, will probably start to quit criminal activity, because now there is nowhere to hide,” he said.
“None of them will be able to get away with the money made from illegal business, therefore they might as well quit the business once and for all.
“This is great news and is a sign of maturity and growth in the legal systems of both countries,” Mr Al Bahar said.
Emirati judge Ahmed Saif said the goal behind the agreement was to protect the community.
“Without such an agreement crimes of money laundering would increase, but now the criminal will think 1,000 times before committing the illegal activity from which he only cares for financial gain,” Judge Saif said.
“He will think that if the money is being confiscated, then there is no use in illegal business in the first place.”
The judge agreed that other countries should adopt such agreements.
“Those who get lured by making much fast money through an illegal business like the drug trade because the money gets saved and secured in some other country, will simply stop when their money is being confiscated wherever it’s being sent,” Judge Saif said.
Gary Balch, deputy chief crown prosecutor in the UK, said: “It is unacceptable that drug barons should be allowed to profit from their criminal activity, and our successful action in this case demonstrates our determination to deprive them of their ill-gotten gains.
“Organised criminals often move their assets across borders to prevent them from being confiscated, but the crown prosecution service can and will follow the money wherever it leads to reclaim the proceeds of crime.
“Criminals often consider that hiding money overseas is a safe bet and that their assets will be untouchable. They are mistaken and should take note of today’s result.”
Mr Balch said the CPS aimed to have five asset recovery advisers working on criminals’ foreign assets by the end of the year, to close the net on British criminals.
As it stands, CPS has an adviser in the UAE and Spain.
salamir@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The 24-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City).
Midfielders: Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur).
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea/Dortmund), Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Dries Mertens (Napoli).
Standby player: Laurent Ciman (Los Angeles FC).
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Andor
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
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England v South Africa Test series:
First Test: at Lord's, England won by 211 runs
Second Test: at Trent Bridge, South Africa won by 340 runs
Third Test: at The Oval, July 27-31
Fourth Test: at Old Trafford, August 4-8
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Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
