Verifying INTERPOL Red Notice Status for Unresolved Debt in Qatar
The lawyers verified the existence of an INTERPOL Red Notice or Diffusion Notice on the client’s case and confirmed there was no international arrest, while providing debt resolution strategies.
Case Overview
An expatriate who had worked in Qatar from 2010 to 2019 sought legal assistance to determine whether an Interpol Red Notice or arrest warrant had been issued against him due to unpaid debts. In 2018, he borrowed 300,000 Qatari Riyals (approximately $70,000 USD) but lost his job a month later, making it impossible to continue his repayments. Despite his efforts to secure another position, employment opportunities for expatriates in high-paying roles were scarce.
The client managed to repay $25,000 USD before leaving Qatar to visit his family. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent travel restrictions prevented him from returning. During this time, his bank stopped responding to his inquiries, raising concerns that his case had been escalated to the legal department, possibly leading to prosecution and an INTERPOL alert. Given that unpaid debt cases in Gulf countries are often treated as criminal offenses rather than civil matters, he feared that the post-dated checks required by the bank could be used as evidence of financial fraud, resulting in a criminal charge.
Legal Complexities: Addressing Debt-Related INTERPOL Notices
Our legal team took the following steps to assess the risk and verify the client’s legal status:
- Checked INTERPOL’s database for any Red Notices or Diffusion Notices issued by Qatari authorities.
- Investigated Qatar’s financial crime regulations, particularly in cases where post-dated checks are used to criminalize debt default.
- Reviewed previous cases where financial institutions in Qatar reported unpaid debts to INTERPOL.
- Filed an official inquiry with INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files (CCF) to determine whether the client’s name had been flagged.
- Assessed extradition risks based on the client’s current location and whether an arrest warrant could lead to potential detention and deportation.
Result
After thorough legal analysis and official inquiries, we confirmed that no INTERPOL Red Notice or Diffusion Notice had been issued against the client at that time. While his case may still be pending with Qatari authorities, his freedom of movement remained unaffected, and there was no immediate risk of extradition or arrest.
Additionally, we provided the client with legal strategies to resolve the debt issue, including potential negotiations with the bank to prevent the case from escalating further. For those facing similar financial disputes in Gulf countries, our firm offers assistance in challenging INTERPOL Red Notices and ensuring due process is followed.
