When EncroChat drug kingpin Jonathan Cassidy heard the encrypted network had been hacked by authorities, he packed his bags and fled the country - the destination? Dubai. . The gang already had significant ties to Dubai. Although Manchester man Ahmed owned a modest semi in Bury, he also spent months each year in the Middle Eastern city. But when was hacked and the details of thousands of top-level gangsters involved in huge drug and weapon conspiracies was passed onto
UK authorities, . He may have long managed to have evaded detection if he did not return to the UK. Following his conviction, which saw the three men jailed for a combined total of more than 55 years, Detective Chief Inspector Roger Smethurst of Greater Manchester
police said: "Interestingly when broke Jonathan Cassidy went to Dubai and was over there for a period of time and then, whether it was because there were never any visits to his home address or there were never inquiries made about him, he came back to the UK, and was arrested. "He was not known to us or particularly to - he was just a builder. He has obviously gone abroad because he is worried and then he thinks the heat is off and has come back." Jonathan Cassidy is among a growing number of criminals from Merseyside heading to the
Middle East as they seek to evade justice. A considerable amount of . The Netherlands and Spain's Costa del Sol have, for decades, been popular for Merseyside's criminals. Cheap flights, large ex-pat communities and a regular flow of tourists led fugitives to believe they could maintain a low profile in those areas. The areas have also long been , meaning criminal networks that can support people on the run do exist within the much bigger law-abiding populations. While parts of Europe remain popular hiding spots, other options, such as Dubai, have continued to emerge for those evading justice. This is perhaps due to the success of the with forces in countries like
Spain and the Netherlands in hunting down suspects. The aptly named was launched in 2006 in a bid to detain criminals wanted by UK law enforcement hiding out in Spain. Following repeated appeals by both the NCA and , nearly 100 suspects had been found and extradited back to the UK. This level of cooperation between law enforcement seemed unthinkable to criminals who set up shop in Dubai - a place they had come to know as a safe haven. An . These opportunities also allowed a range of contacts who could launder ill gotten gains safely around the world. The Hawala system, a way of seemingly moving money around the world with no paper trail, is used in the Middle East, including in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The system relies on a series of money brokers called Hawaladars who transfer money between each other on a trust basis using passcodes before it arrives at its intended destination. Once there the Hawaladar pays out the agreed sum to the recipient. Licensed Hawaladars can operate legally in Dubai. During the , held over two days at , the prosecution mentioned on at least one occasion how the gang used Hawaladar bankers to transport their cash. The ability to access the banking system, plus around 30 free-trade zones, means Dubai has become a haven for trade-based money laundering.
American think tank , an organisation that describes itself as being dedicated to reducing global conflict, . The report said: "Dubai is a global financial centre, a shopper's paradise and an oasis for the world's well-to-do. While the vast majority of financial, business and real estate transactions in Dubai are not associated with illegal activity, part of what underpins Dubai's prosperity is a steady stream of illicit proceeds borne from corruption and crime. "The wealth has helped to fuel the Emirate's booming real estate market; enrich its bankers, moneychangers, and business elites; and turn Dubai into a major gold trading hub. Meanwhile, both Emirati leaders and the international community continue to turn a blind eye to the problematic behaviours, administrative loopholes, and weak enforcement practices that make Dubai a globally attractive destination for dirty money." What this means is that Dubai hasn't just become a hiding spot - it's become a base of operations where criminals can continue their illicit business out of the eyes of law enforcement. reported this month about a , with an elaborate network across the UK. revealed the scheme, which involved the importation of cocaine and heroin from South America, then brought into the UK via Amsterdam in an empty
trailer, received at least some of its orders from gangsters hiding out in Dubai. Four men were convicted as part of the investigation, but none from within Dubai. Despite the challenges, law enforcement efforts to tackle organised crime groups and go after high profile characters who have wreaked havoc on Merseyside have seen some success. Perhaps the most successful operation saw the NCA work in collaboration with Interpol and Dubai Police to track down . Moogan spent eight years on the run after a Rotterdam café used as a front for meetings between drug traffickers and cartels was raided. Moogan was caught on surveillance discussing the shipments of huge quantities of cocaine from South America. Once he realised he was implicated he fled under a false passport. Moogan was eventually collared in Dubai, where local police found him using a fake German passport under the name 'Michael Dwyer'. The tried to avoid any CCTV in an attempt to elude detectives. Advanced technology and the city's Criminal Data Analysis Centre helped track him down. Moogan told arresting officers: . Get me up to Manny and get me in Cat A. I’m done now." Following his arrest, an NCA spokesperson said: "This arrest is the result of years of investigation involving a range of law enforcement partners in the UK, Europe and Middle East. We are extremely grateful to those partners for their assistance in ensuring Moogan now faces justice and particularly thank the Dubai Police for their efforts to track him down. "He will be returned to the
United Kingdom to face trial. This case should serve as a warning to others on the run from the NCA – we have a global reach, we never give up and they can never rest easy." , minus 696 days spent behind bars on remand, in March last year. Another criminal who thought he could evade capture in the UAE was cocaine and gun supplier Leon Cullen. Cullen used a false passport to abscond in 2018 as detectives closed the net around his gang which he fronted with brother Anthony. Cullen went undetected for two years before he was finally brought to justice in Dubai. Cullen, who was in control of a startling
Arsenal of battlefield weaponry as part of his criminal network, was detained at gunpoint. When he was eventually extradited back to the UK to appear before the courts, . The court heard how Cullen's "head was shaved, he was forced to wear robes and sandals, he was regularly beaten by guards. He brushed his teeth with soap...He was left for days in a dark room with a hood on his head. He was held in a cell with 50 other inmates". Sentencing him to 22 years, six months in May 2021, a judge said: . Although some would say you only have yourself to blame having fled there to evade justice in this country." NCA deputy director Tom Dowdall: "This type of global law enforcement cooperation has never been more important to tackling serious and organised crime affecting the UK and I would like to thank the UAE authorities for all their work which led to Cullen’s arrest and extradition." It is estimated 240,000
British ex-pats currently live in Dubai. While this undoubtedly makes tracking down those involved in suspected illicit behaviour a challenge, the NCA said its working partnerships with global colleagues is making it easier. A spokesperson for the NCA told : "We know that criminals often flee the UK to evade law enforcement and attempt to stay under the radar. We have an excellent working relationship with our international law enforcement partners, including colleagues in the UAE, and have achieved great success in recent years as a result of joint efforts to tackle serious and organised crime. "Criminals go to great lengths to stay on the run, but as those who have been located, arrested and brought back to the UK to face justice will attest to, we never stop in our efforts to find them. "Through our network of international liaison officers who are based around the world, we are able to share information and intelligence on criminals and their activity, which has resulted in the arrest of 134 fugitives since the NCA’s inception."