One of Britain’s most wanted men was extradited from the UAE three years after he left the UK for Dubai.
Leon Cullen was arrested in Dubai in January last year and was returned to the UK on Friday.
He was detained in a joint operation carried out by UAE police and Britain’s National Crime Agency, along with Interpol.
Mr Cullen, 33, from Warrington in north-west England, was extradited to Britain by officers from the National Extradition Unit.
He was charged with being the head of a crime group responsible for supplying firearms and drugs.
Senior British police officers thanked the UAE for its help in his arrest and extradition.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the UAE authorities and all those involved for their hard work and commitment to bring Cullen back to the UK,” said Assistant Chief Constable Matt Burton, from Cheshire police.
Deputy director Tom Dowdall, head of NCA International, said: “Leon Cullen believed he could evade capture by fleeing to Dubai.
"However, working with our partners in the UK and the UAE, we were able to locate and apprehend him so he could be returned to the UK.
“This type of global law enforcement co-operation 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.
“Our network of international liaison officers operate across the world and we will continue to work with our policing partners to pursue wanted individuals and ensure nowhere is a safe haven.”
Mr Cullen appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with offences including conspiracy to supply firearms, ammunition and Class A drugs.
He was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Liverpool Crown Court on March 22.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
