Fugitive Dane arrested for tax fraud in Bangkok

As a result of cooperation between Danish Police, and Thai Immigration, on November 25, 2009, Police Lt. General Wut Liptaphanlop announced the arrest of Danish citizen Mr. Martin Matthiasen, a 29-year-old tax fugitive wanted by Interpol and Copenhagen police.

Mr. Matthiasen snuck into Thailand, stayed at the best hotels and only avoided capture for two weeks by Thai police.

Criminal charges were forwarded to Thai authorities based on information from the Scandinavian Group of Countries asking Thailand police to investigate and arrest Mr. Matthiasen based on an arrest warrant issued by Copenhagen court dated May 12, 2007, and the Red Notice of Interpol.

In cases where arrests are made based on a Red Notice, these are made by national police officials in Interpol member countries.

Red Notices, or international wanted persons notices, are one of the ways in which INTERPOL informs its 186 member countries that an arrest warrant has been issued for an individual by a judicial authority. It is not an international arrest warrant.

The individuals concerned are wanted by national jurisdictions (or International Criminal Tribunals where appropriate) and INTERPOL’s role is to assist national police.

Many of INTERPOL’s member countries, however, consider a Red Notice a valid request for provisional arrest, especially if they are linked to the requesting country via a bilateral extradition treaty as in this case.

The Dane was arrested at the Emporium Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 24 in Klong Toey District, Bangkok.

Martin Matthiasen and eight alleged accomplices are accused of falsifying documents to claim tax refunds worth about 180 million crone, or about 1,100 million baht, from the Danish Central Customs and Tax Administration. The suspect escaped to many countries, before eluding capture by hiding in Thailand.

Seven accomplices were earlier arrested in Denmark. One other accomplice is still being sought by international police.

Mr. Matthiasen fled Denmark to many countries ending his run in Bangkok.  He entered Thailand illegally by land from Malaysia through Songkhla Province without notification to Thai Immigration.

 Staying in 5-star hotels until fearing he might be traced through Internet usage and moving on Mr. Matthiasen was arrested within two weeks of arrival into Thailand.

He did not have a passport, so Thai police took him in for investigation before checking his case in Denmark and then deported him for prosecution in Denmark.