Hamad Mohammed Al-Hinai, an expert with the Ministry of Interior’s Federal Cybercrime Department, outlined the complex criminal networks behind fraud operations in Southeast Asia while addressing delegates at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. According to the Emirates News Agency, his presentation examined how these activities incorporate human trafficking, investment fraud, money laundering and the exploitation of virtual assets alongside online casinos and supporting digital infrastructure. Al-Hinai noted that such operations routinely cross borders, with perpetrators, victims and financial flows often located in separate jurisdictions, which complicates enforcement efforts. The ministry expert stressed that effective responses depend on improved information sharing and joint operational strategies among global authorities.
International bodies have documented the massive scale of the challenge, with INTERPOL estimating that financial fraud cost the global economy more than $442 billion in 2025 alone. The UAE recorded around 80,000 suspicious transaction reports that same year, according to figures from the National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Committee, which also reported domestic confiscations exceeding Dh4.23 billion and Dh556.6 million returned to victims. These statistics underscore the growing sophistication of cross-border schemes that increasingly rely on digital tools and virtual currencies. Al-Hinai highlighted the UAE’s domestic coordination among security agencies, financial institutions and the private sector as a foundation that could be expanded through deeper international partnerships.
The UAE has taken concrete steps to bolster such alliances in recent days, including the signing of a working arrangement with Eurojust on September 28, 2026, that establishes a framework for closer cooperation and information exchange on serious crimes such as fraud, money laundering and cybercrime. The European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation described the UAE as a high-relevance partner in tackling organised crime groups that sometimes use the country as a base for directing activities targeting Europe. This agreement builds on prior joint workshops and the appointment of a UAE contact point at Eurojust. It aligns with the UAE’s broader strategy of reducing response times for extradition and mutual legal assistance requests, which averaged just five days for voluntary cases in 2025.
Regional momentum has also accelerated, with the UAE preparing to propose a joint initiative on fraud and money laundering during its 2026 presidency of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force. Hamid Saif Al Zaabi, Secretary General and Vice Chair of the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee, told The National that fraud constitutes an inherently cross-border problem requiring aligned legal procedures across countries. The UAE has signed additional memoranda of understanding in the past year with partners including Bahrain and Italy to exchange expertise, conduct joint training and address emerging risks in line with global standards. These efforts reflect a shift toward proactive network disruption rather than isolated case investigations.
Al-Hinai emphasised during his presentation that authorities must prioritise tracing connections among criminal network members instead of focusing solely on individual incidents. The Emirates News Agency reported that he outlined models of public-private partnerships already employed in the UAE and expressed commitment to expanding these collaborations with international counterparts. Such approaches have supported rapid information exchange and effective handling of financial intelligence reports. The presentation formed part of wider discussions at the congress hosted in Abu Dhabi, where participants explored strategies to counter the industrialisation of fraud enabled by artificial intelligence and low-barrier digital tools.
Dubai Police demonstrated the impact of coordinated action earlier in 2026 by leading Operation Tri-Force Sentinel, which resulted in the arrest of 276 suspects and the dismantling of nine scam centres across multiple countries in partnership with the FBI and Chinese authorities. The force attributed the success to unified capabilities with trusted international partners targeting high-yield investment and virtual currency fraud. These operations complement the regulatory updates introduced through Federal Decree-Law No 10 of 2025, which extended anti-money laundering rules to digital assets and identified proliferation financing as a distinct threat. The cumulative measures position the UAE to sustain its role in global efforts against evolving financial crime patterns.
