Interpol issues red notice against main suspect in tobacco case

AMMAN — The Interpol, on Monday, issued an International Red Notice against Awni Mutee, a Jordanian businessman who reportedly fled the country to Lebanon in July, one day ahead of a crackdown on an alleged illegal tobacco manufacturing and smuggling factory.

Mutee, who is the main suspect in the tobacco case, is wanted on six charges including carrying out endangerment acts on public safety and security, carrying out acts that would change the country's economic entity or endangers the society basic conditions, according to the Interpol red notice.

Other charges added by the Red Notice include joint customs evasion which is described as an economic crime, joint cheat on goods quality, joint general sales tax evasion and money laundering.

Mutee’s reported escape triggered public outrage over the summer, amid assertions by the government to bring to justice all involved in the headline-grabbing case.

The prosecution office in Jordan, which contacted Interpol office with the arrest warrant earlier this month, coordinated with the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism Unit to seize the assets of the suspect and addressed unit’s counterpart in the country where he is now living to take a similar measure there.