A suspect involved in gold smuggling and facing an Interpol Red Notice has been successfully repatriated from Saudi Arabia, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), officials revealed on Thursday.
Operation Coordination
The CBI spokesperson stated, “The Global Operations Centre of the CBI has worked in collaboration with the National Central Bureau-Riyadh through Interpol channels to bring back Shokat Ali to Mumbai from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night.”
Additional Insight: Challenges of International Coordination
International coordination between law enforcement agencies, like the CBI and Interpol, poses unique challenges due to differences in legal systems and jurisdictions. This successful repatriation highlights the importance of effective coordination to combat transnational crimes like gold smuggling.
Ali had been sought by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the 2020 gold smuggling case involving the seizure of bars at Jaipur International Airport, Rajasthan.
Evidence of Smuggling
“It was discovered during the investigation that the accused Shokat Ali collaborated with his co-conspirators in the illegal smuggling of gold bars from Saudi Arabia to India. He was charged under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for offenses related to unlawful activities and criminal conspiracy. He was traced to Saudi Arabia with the continuous pursuit through Interpol,” the spokesperson explained.
Red Notice Issuance
The CBI managed to secure a Red Notice against Ali from the Interpol General Secretariat on September 13, 2021. This notice was disseminated to all Interpol member countries to aid in locating and apprehending the accused, according to the spokesperson.
Global Law Enforcement Cooperation
The issuance and circulation of Red Notices demonstrate the commitment of international law enforcement agencies to collaborate and ensure that suspects involved in transnational crimes such as gold smuggling are brought to justice, regardless of their location.
