The global law enforcement organization, Interpol, has issued a red notice for Finnish entrepreneur, Thomas Zilliacus. This action was prompted by a request from Singapore, where an arrest warrant has been issued against Zilliacus. However, it is important to note that the Interpol wanted notice does not mandate the arrest of Zilliacus.
The news of this red notice, which is essentially an international wanted notice, came to light on Wednesday. The Singaporean authorities are reportedly seeking Zilliacus for his alleged involvement in delivering deceptive results to the social media company Yuuzoo, which he is associated with.
A red notice from Interpol is a significant matter. It serves to alert all law enforcement authorities across Interpol’s 196 member countries about a person who is either suspected of a crime or who has already been convicted in a country but has not been apprehended by the authorities of that country.
Interpol will issue a red notice upon the request of a member country, as long as the request adheres to Interpol’s established rules. This red notice, however, is not an arrest warrant. Interpol, on their website, stresses that the issuance of a red notice does not oblige any country to arrest the individual in question. The decision on how to proceed lies with the law enforcement authorities of each respective country.
A red notice typically includes the wanted person’s name, identifying information, and details of the crime they are wanted for. At present, about 6,800 individuals have been issued red notices by Interpol. Notably, Zilliacus’s name does not appear on this list.
Interpol explains that the majority of red notices are intended primarily for use by law enforcement authorities. These notices are made public on Interpol’s website when public assistance is required to locate an individual or if there is a suspicion that the individual may pose a threat to public safety. As per Interpol’s regulations, a red notice can only be issued for serious offences.
Zilliacus has indicated that he will be releasing a statement regarding the arrest warrant on Thursday. Based on information from HS, Zilliacus has previously considered taking legal action against the Singapore government or the stock exchange. This consideration was precipitated by the suspension of trading in the Yuuzoo stock he founded by the Singapore Stock Exchange in 2018 due to unfounded allegations.
