STOCKHOLM — A Danish citizen allegedly involved in gang-related crime in southern Sweden, and killings and explosions in Spain, has been arrested in Dubai, a Swedish newspaper reported Friday.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates confirmed the arrest of Amir Faten Mekky “who had has eluded security forces across Europe for years.” They said special forces raided Mekky’s place of residence on June 4 in an early morning “sting operation.”
The statement added that “preparations are underway to hand him over to the relevant authorities.” It was not clear whether he was to be extradited and to which country.
The Swedish daily Expressen said the suspect had “for long been rooted in Malmo” — Sweden’s third largest city — where he has appeared “in a handful of murder investigations over the past five years.”
Expressen did not name him, in line with Swedish practice, but said the 23-year-old had earlier been detained in Malmo, a city that has seen scores of suburban feuds between criminal gangs. He was considered a suspect there in a March 2017 killing but was never prosecuted and two years later, received some 210,000 kronor ($22,700) in damages.
The daily said he is also wanted for two contract killings and several explosions in Spain where he allegedly leads a gang known as “Los Suecos” — Spanish for the Swedes.
It is believed that Mekky was wounded in a 2018 shooting in Malmo, when three men were killed as the were leaving an internet cafe.
Malmo police or prosecutors were not immediately aware of the arrest by the Dubai authorities.
The Associated Press
