A top Interpol Mena chief has said that as long as a bounced cheque is a criminal offence in the UAE, Interpol can be asked to track down the offender – irrespective of the amount.

“Interpol does not require a minimum financial limit for an arrest and extradition warrant in financial crimes,” Major Ali Qubaisi, Interpol team leader for the Middle East and North Africa, and head of the Economic Crimes unit of the Qatari Interior Ministry, told Emirates 24|7 in an exclusive interview.

Al Qubaisi who spoke to this website on the sidelines of a recent Interpol conference in Dubai said: “Interpol is only allowed to intervene in crimes which are in the Penal Code of a country. The laws of most countries in the region have issuing bad cheques listed as a criminal offense, although the case may be heard before a civilian court.”

He also said that an arrest warrant issued by Interpol is not dependent on any security cooperation between countries.

Al Qubaisi refused to answer a question on whether the acts of Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, constituted an e-crime.

However, he said, “In case we receive an arrest warrant from Interpol member state for the founder did of WikiLeaks in a criminal matter we will issue a red corner notice and arrest him.”