Latest news with #RedNotices
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
ICE raids in Massachusetts and San Diego. What we know so far
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and several federal law enforcement agencies apprehended nearly 1,600 undocumented immigrants during a sweeping operation across Massachusetts and San Diego throughout May. The monthlong operation, named Operation Patriot, focused on arresting individuals with ties to transnational crime, violent gangs, and those with serious criminal records in the U.S. or abroad. The initiative was led by ICE's Boston office in collaboration with federal partners, including the FBI, CBP, ATF, the Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Marshals, and the U.S. Coast Guard. ALSO READ| Who is Antoine Massey? New Orleans jail escapee's Instagram videos pleading Trump for help go viral 'The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a safer place today thanks to the hard work and determination of the men and women of ICE and our federal partners,' said Patricia H. Hyde, acting Field Office Director for ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, per the ICE website. 'Make no mistake: Every person that we arrested was breaking our immigration laws, but most of these individuals had significant criminality.' ICE detailed that over 790 of the 1,461 arrested in Massachusetts had criminal charges or convictions. They confirmed details about operations in San Diego are still under wraps. The list of offenses includes murder, rape, drug trafficking, child sexual abuse, and affiliation with violent gangs like MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Trinitarios, and 18th Street. ICE stated that several individuals were also subjects of foreign arrest warrants or Interpol Red Notices. 'Among those arrested include truly alarming criminals: murderers wanted in their home countries, child predators, and drug traffickers,' said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations New England. 'Public safety and national security remain our number one priority.' One of the more shocking arrests included a 55-year-old Salvadoran national with an Interpol Red Notice for aggravated homicide and kidnapping. Others included a Guatemalan national convicted of murder, a Brazilian national wanted for child rape, and a Colombian man convicted in his home country for drug trafficking. ALSO READ| Boulder attack: How did Mohamad Sabry Soliman learn to make firebombs? US authorities reveal stunning details FBI Boston's Kimberly Milka stressed, 'Together, with our partners, we have identified and removed hundreds of illegal alien offenders from the Commonwealth... and our work is not done.' ICE also confirmed that 277 of the individuals had previously been ordered removed by immigration judges but failed to comply, remaining unlawfully in the U.S.
Time Business News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time Business News
Countries Without U.S. Extradition Treaties and Why Fugitives Flee There
Amicus International Consulting Examines the Safe Havens Used by Fugitives—and Why Legal Identity Planning Is the Smarter, Lawful Alternative VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — While the reach of U.S. law enforcement has extended across borders thanks to biometric databases, INTERPOL Red Notices, and international cooperation, some fugitives still find refuge in places where American justice cannot follow. These escapees aren't always hiding in the shadows—many live openly in jurisdictions that lack extradition treaties with the United States. Amicus International Consulting, a global leader in second citizenship and legal identity solutions, has spent over 15 years analyzing international mobility trends, fugitives' escape strategies, and the geopolitical landscape that enables these 'final escapes.' While Amicus does not work with fugitives or individuals attempting to evade legal accountability, the company helps at-risk individuals seeking legal protection, including those persecuted for political, journalistic, or humanitarian reasons. 'There's a fine line between escaping justice and injustice,' said an Amicus employee. 'Most people don't understand that some countries have zero obligation to return you—legally or diplomatically.' Countries Without U.S. Extradition Treaties in 2025 The United States has active extradition treaties with over 100 countries, but dozens more refuse or resist returning fugitives, creating effective safe zones. These nations fall into three categories: 1. No Treaty Exists These countries have never signed a formal extradition treaty with the United States: Russia China United Arab Emirates (UAE) Saudi Arabia Vietnam Mongolia Belarus Indonesia Qatar Kazakhstan Nepal Cameroon Mozambique Ethiopia Tunisia 2. Treaty Exists, But Enforcement Is Inconsistent or Politically Manipulated Even with formal treaties, countries may not honour U.S. requests due to politics, corruption, or weak legal frameworks: Brazil Ecuador Mexico Dominican Republic Panama Ukraine Pakistan Turkey Thailand 3. Refuge for Political or Financial Fugitives Some nations offer de facto immunity for fugitives if they offer political value, intelligence, or economic assets, such as: Venezuela Iran North Korea Cuba Seychelles Real Case Studies: Fugitives Living Free Case 1: Edward Snowden – Russia Wanted for espionage under the U.S. Espionage Act, Snowden fled to Russia in 2013. Despite diplomatic pressure, Moscow granted him permanent residency and later full citizenship. Russia has no extradition treaty with the U.S. Case 2: Jho Low – China and UAE Accused of masterminding Malaysia's 1mdb scandal, Low has allegedly rotated between China, Macau, and the UAE. The U.S. and Malaysia have failed to secure his return. Case 3: Assata Shakur – Cuba Convicted in 1977 for the murder of a New Jersey State Trooper, Shakur escaped prison and was granted asylum in Cuba, where she lives to this day under government protection. Case 4: Turkish Banker – Indonesia A banker facing U.S. wire fraud and sanctions charges fled to Indonesia in 2022. Despite an existing INTERPOL notice, Indonesia has declined to arrest or extradite him. Why Fugitives Flee to Non-Extradition Countries These countries offer advantages to fugitives, including: No legal obligation to return the accused Political hostility toward the U.S. Corruption or weak judiciary systems Availability of alternative passports or fake identities Lenient banking secrecy laws Fugitives often exploit these jurisdictions by buying real estate, investing in local businesses, or marrying into citizenship. Some even obtain legitimate legal residency. The Dangers of Illegal Disappearance Amicus warns that while these havens may seem like safe options, fugitives face constant threats: Risk of Interpol red notices triggering cross-border arrests Surveillance from intelligence services Targeting by bounty hunters or rival criminals Inability to access legitimate banking and healthcare Lifetime fear of deportation or political trade-offs 'Living on the run is not freedom,' said the Amicus employee. 'You're constantly looking over your shoulder, exposed to exploitation, and at the mercy of a government's mood.' Amicus International Offers Legal Identity and Protection—Without Crime Rather than breaking laws, Amicus works exclusively with law-abiding clients seeking legal pathways to safety, privacy, and freedom. Many Amicus' clients are whistleblowers, persecuted activists, or businesspeople unfairly flagged in sanctions or compliance systems. Legal Services Include: Second citizenship through recognized CBI (Citizenship by Investment) programs Residency-by-investment planning for neutral countries Legal name change and identity correction filings Digital footprint reduction and biometric unlinking Tax Identification Numbers (TINS) and banking setups in offshore jurisdictions Legal Safe Havens for Non-Fugitives Some countries do not extradite, yet also offer legal second citizenships, making them a viable option for non-criminal clients needing safety or privacy: 1. Vanuatu No extradition to the U.S. Offers citizenship in 60 days via a $130,000 donation Remote processing accepted 2. Turkey A treaty exists, but compliance is selective Citizenship by real estate purchase of $400,000 U.S. E-2 visa treaty allows U.S. businesses access 3. Dominica Weak enforcement history Offers legal second citizenship for a $100,000 donation No global income tax 4. St. Kitts & Nevis Historical reluctance to extradite without airtight evidence Dual citizenship is legally recognized Strong passport with 150+ visa-free destinations Conclusion While fugitives continue to exploit international loopholes, most face a life of anxiety, isolation, and eventual capture. For individuals with legitimate reasons to seek a new identity—be it political, journalistic, financial, or humanitarian reasons—the better path is a legal one. Amicus International Consulting guards that path, providing expert guidance, legal compliance, and identity solutions that empower individuals to live securely, travel freely, and protect themselves without crossing the line into illegality. 📞 Contact InformationPhone: +1 (604) 200-5402Email: info@ Website:
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Interpol is no longer fit for purpose, say Rhys Davies and Ben Keith
FOR MORE than 100 years, Interpol has played a vital role in combating serious international crime, from terrorism to human trafficking. But the international police organisation, made up of 196 member countries, is now plagued by issues that undermine international co-operation among law enforcers and allow authoritarian states to weaponise its systems for their own ends. The recent appointment as secretary-general of Valdecy Urquiza, a Brazilian police commissioner, offers an opportunity for serious reform. Though his predecessor, Jürgen Stock, left Interpol in better shape than he found it, Mr Urquiza will need to go further to deal with its deep-rooted problems. The first of these is governance. The secretary-general, the full-time leader of the organisation, is assisted by an executive committee—essentially a board of directors chaired by a president. The current president is Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, a major-general from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who is under investigation in several countries over allegations of complicity in torture (which he denies). The 13-member executive committee includes representatives from China and Turkey, two of the most prolific abusers of Interpol policy. At the most recent executive-committee elections, democratic countries failed to co-ordinate, putting forward numerous candidates and splitting their potential votes, while autocratic states voted as a bloc. The result was predictable: states with dismal human-rights records gained more influence within the organisation. In future, democratic nations must work together and unite around fewer candidates to allow the governance of Interpol to be geared towards fairness, independence and efficiency. Interpol's funding model exacerbates its governance challenges. Operating on a modest annual budget of around €200m ($225m), the organisation relies on three funding streams: statutory contributions from member countries (roughly based on economic size), in-kind donations of police officers, and voluntary contributions. Just before Mr al-Raisi was elected president, the UAE donated €50m, or roughly a quarter of Interpol's annual budget, through an arms-length NGO. The funding model should be revised to reduce vulnerability to handouts that could be seen as influence-buying. Donations would still be welcome but they must never be in exchange for perceived favours or public-relations opportunities. Statutory contributions should be increased to make up the likely shortfall. Meanwhile, Interpol's infamous Red Notice system, whereby a member state issues a notification that it would like someone arrested, has been systematically abused for years. Red Notices were designed to locate serious criminals abroad, but have now become the sniper's rifle for autocrats: long-distance, targeted and devastatingly effective against political opponents. Russia has consistently used Red Notices, threats of them or other abuses of the Interpol system to target dissidents and businesspeople, from well-known historical cases, such as Bill Browder and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, to recent ones involving Western journalists and those opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Bahrain has also abused the system to target critics, including Sayed Alwadaei, the director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute of Rights and Democracy in London (and one of our clients). China, too, uses Red Notices as part of its Operation Sky Net/Fox Hunt in a way that explicitly contradicts Interpol policy. The purpose of a Red Notice is to find suspected criminals with the intent to extradite them. But once China has established an individual's whereabouts, it will often coerce them to 'return voluntarily' though threats, arrests and torture of family members, circumventing any formal extradition process. Sky Net/Fox Hunt purportedly aims to bring corrupt Chinese nationals abroad back to the mainland to face justice, but in reality it functions as part of Xi Jinping's global campaign to pursue dissidents. The Commission for the Control of Interpol's Files (CCF), an independent body responsible for reviewing challenged notices, currently consists of five lawyers meeting quarterly to process an overwhelming caseload. Despite often involving hundreds of pages of evidence, each case can only receive, on average, a matter of minutes of consideration. The CCF should be transformed into a continuous operation with significantly expanded staff and financial resources, funded by higher statutory contributions if necessary. This would make spotting and flagging abuse much easier. Interpol's notorious secrecy shields abusers from accountability, so Mr Urquiza should make enhancing transparency a priority. The organisation should publish regular statistics on Red Notice approvals and rejections by country. It should develop a system similar to one used by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international body that combats money-laundering and terrorist financing. The FATF maintains a public list that sorts countries into tiers, taking into account patterns of abuse and willingness to implement reforms. This would put pressure on abusive regimes to change, and give democratic members clarity about any exploitation of the system. That would allow them to apply extra scrutiny to requests from low-tier jurisdictions. China, Russia and other autocratic states have developed increasingly sophisticated methods to disguise political persecution as legitimate efforts to combat financial crime and corruption. They exploit flaws in both Interpol's governance structure and its operational processes. Their bad faith has so far been met with supine indifference. This needs to change. Reforming Interpol does not mean undermining its legitimate law-enforcement functions. Instead, true neutrality means enforcing rules equally against all member states. Earlier this year we submitted these ideas to Interpol. Our concerns are clear. Our hope is that Mr Urquiza listens and acts. Ben Keith is a barrister at 5 St Andrew's Hill and Rhys Davies is a barrister at Temple Garden Chambers. Both specialise in human-rights and international law, and regularly represent individuals challenging Interpol Red Notices. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Daily Record
26-04-2025
- Daily Record
Inside 'gangster's paradise' in Dubai where Scots criminals live like kings
Scots gangsters are living luxurious lifestyles alongside cartel bosses and international hitmen in the glittering city of Dubai . The United Arab Emirates has become a global headquarters for criminals on the run from authorities in recent years. Known as one of the most indulgent and glamorous destinations on the planet, Dubai has attracted a dark network of crime clan members to its playground . An underworld source told the Record how key players are able to go about their lives 'without a care in the world' and appear to be beyond the reach of Police Scotland. They said: "The Scottish gangsters all walk around Dubai freely without a care in the world. Over here these guys are small-time. They are mixing with drug dealers who run cartels, international hitmen, fraudsters and political figures who are on Interpol Red Notices. "Steven Lyons has lived here for years. Nobody seems to notice him but that could be because his appearance has changed a lot since he was last pictured. "It's paradise for criminals. Sun, world-class amenities and no looking over your shoulder. There is nowhere better in the world to live." Senior crime clan members are said to be living anonymously in private residential communities like Jumeirah Golf Estates, The Springs and The Lakes and Damac Hills where sprawling villas range from £250k to £7 million. The plush areas often attract celebrities, footballers and billionaire tycoons. The younger criminals tend to reside anonymously in flashy skyscrapers at Jumeirah Village Circle , Jumeirah Beach Residence, Bluewaters and Downtown. Crooks are said to spend their days posing in one of the many exclusive beach clubs, where a reservation for a table starts at a whopping £800. At night they are often seen in groups dining in swanky restaurants and partying at rooftop bars across town. Supercars, yacht trips and designer spending sprees are also commonplace with mobsters openly flaunting the proceeds of their ill-gotten gains on high end brands like Cartier, Rolex and Prada. The underworld source continued: "The cartel bosses are easy to identify - you see them sitting in cafes with multiple phones spread across the table and designer bags on the seat. These sorts of players would never get involved in anything in their own country . "They are supplying global drug markets - and doing it remotely - to keep the heat off of themselves. "To live like this in the UK would be expensive. These gangsters are making a lot of money and have a lot of spare time on their hands to enjoy the lifestyle. In comparison to foreign criminals, the Scottish drug dealers fly under the radar." A Dubai-based " Mr Big " is said to be orchestrating a gang war in Scotland from the comfort of his luxury home. Believed to be a former Rangers ultra, it is thought he fled Glasgow and moved to Marbella, but relocated again to Dubai after police cracked the Encrochat group. Our source said: "He went to Spain but learned there had been a European arrest warrant issued and he landed in Dubai. Encrochat might have been the reason he had to leave Scotland, but it is also why he has become one of the biggest drug dealers ever to come out of the country. "There are so many other big time gangsters there and he has climbed very high in a very short space of time." He is understood to be in business with crime syndicates across the globe to shift kilos of cocaine and has offered a £100,000 bounty for the murder of his rivals back in Scotland. His hit list includes some of the most feared crime clan members in the country, including the families and closest associates of arch enemies Mark Richardson and Steven "Bonzo" Daniel. A group called Tamo Junto is believed to be carrying out attacks across Glasgow and Edinburgh under Mr Big's orders. The group have released bizarre videos of shooting and firebombings, with each clip concluding with an insignia depicting a fanged skull painted over a Saltire and set against two crossed guns. Bonzo, 45, was recently spotted a number of times in the United Arab Emirates city after his home in Bishopbriggs and his uncle Norman's home were torched last week. Our source added: "Bonzo has been seen a few times since he arrived. His face is so distinctive because of his scars . "Strangely he has come to Dubai where the people who want him dead are living. But he knows the criminals over here won't do anything and risk extradition. It's a smart move. Dubai is home to some of the biggest crooks in the world but they all behave themselves. The police don't tolerate trouble here."
