Three men have been arrested after Amir Khan was robbed at gunpoint in east London in April.
Mr Khan, 35, who retired from boxing last month, was with his wife Faryal in Leyton when he was approached by two men who threatened him with a gun, before stealing his £70,000 Franck Muller Geneve watch.
In the wake of the attack, the two-time world champion said he had shelved plans to buy a London home and instead intended to spend more time in the UAE with his family and in his home town of Bolton, near Manchester.
Scotland Yard said three men, aged 25, 34 and 20, were arrested on suspicion of robbery after warrants were executed by detectives on Wednesday morning.
The 25-year-old has also been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, while the 20-year-old has been arrested for this offence and possession of ammunition.
All three remain in custody.
Officers were called to the incident on High Road at 9.15pm on April 18.
No shots were fired and nobody was injured.
Police released an image of the watch, while Mrs Khan shared CCTV footage of the incident.
Detective Sergeant Lee Warrington of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “Tackling robbery is a key priority for the Met and these arrests demonstrate our commitment to taking those intent on using violence, or the threat of violence, off of our streets.”
After the attack, Mr Khan, the former boxing world champion, tweeted: "Just had my watch taken off me at gun point in East London, Leyton. I crossed the road with Faryal, luckily she was few steps behind me.
"Two men ran to me, he asked for my watch whilst having a gun pointed in my face.
"The main thing is we're both safe."
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2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
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4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Our family matters legal consultant
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Sri Lanka World Cup squad
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