Interpol arrests Spanish fuel executive Alejandro Hamlyn in UAE over 154 million euro tax fraud
Interpol detained former Hafesa president Alejandro Hamlyn in the United Arab Emirates following his flight from Spain during a 154 million euro VAT fraud trial, initiating extradition procedures back to Madrid.
Arrest in the United Arab Emirates
Interpol officers detained Spanish businessman Alejandro Hamlyn in the United Arab Emirates on Monday following an international arrest warrant issued by Spain's National Court. Hamlyn, the former head of fuel distributor Hafesa, had been residing in the Persian Gulf state since May 2025 after fleeing Spanish jurisdiction before the start of his trial. Spanish authorities sought his capture across two separate proceedings in Madrid, and judicial sources stated that formal extradition proceedings will take several months to complete.
- National Court begins investigation into Hafesa hydrocarbon tax fraud
- Hamlyn attends videoconference with Leire Díez regarding Civil Guard files
- Hamlyn flees Spain to reside in the United Arab Emirates
- National Court opens trial and issues arrest warrant after Hamlyn fails to appear
- Interpol arrests Hamlyn in the United Arab Emirates
Hydrocarbon tax fraud and corporate convictions
The primary case against Hamlyn involves an alleged 154 million euro value-added tax fraud in the hydrocarbon sector committed between 2016 and 2019 through Hafesa Energía and shell companies. Anti-Corruption prosecutors sought sentences of up to 89 years in prison for Hamlyn on charges of money laundering, leading a criminal organization, and tax fraud. When the oral trial began in June 2025, Hamlyn refused to appear, arguing that local authorities in the UAE had barred him from travelling due to a 7,000 euro debt. The National Court continued the trial without him, finding Hafesa guilty, fining the company 152.4 million euros, and sentencing fourteen executives, including a 16-year sentence for Hamlyn's second-in-command.
- Alleged VAT fraud
- 154 €M
- Hafesa court fine
- 152.4 €M
- Basque government debt
- 225 €M
Videoconference with Leire Díez
Hamlyn also features in judicial proceedings examined by Judge Santiago Pedraz regarding efforts to gather compromising material against Spanish investigators. In February 2025, Hamlyn joined a videoconference from the UAE with former Socialist Party member Leire Díez, businessman Javier Pérez Dolset, and attorney Jacobo Teijelo. During the meeting, Díez requested damaging material targeting Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Balas, the head of the Civil Guard Central Operative Unit overseeing corruption inquiries connected to government figures.
Díez responded directly to Hamlyn during the exchange when discussing the investigator.
If he is dead, even better.
In exchange for dossiers on Balas and Anti-Corruption prosecutor José Grinda, the participants discussed offering Hamlyn favorable treatment from prosecutors and halting a 225 million euro debt owed by Hafesa to the Basque regional government. Hamlyn insisted on formal commitments during the conversation.
I want a signed piece of paper. I have a lot of information. I have been working on this for five years.
Extradition and parallel bribery investigations
Hamlyn faces additional legal scrutiny in Madrid at Central Court of Instruction Number 1. That investigation centers on allegations that Hamlyn bribed a police officer assigned to the National Court to destroy incriminating documents related to his tax fraud probe. Following the release of audio recordings from the February 2025 meeting, Judge Pedraz incorporated the maneuvers against Balas and other judicial figures into the wider investigation into influence peddling and bribery. Hamlyn remains in UAE custody while the National Court Fourth Section processes the extradition request.
