Paweł Szopa, the founder of the Polish clothing brand Red is Bad, has been apprehended in the Dominican Republic following an active Interpol Red Notice. The notice, which is reserved for high-priority international suspects, was requested by Polish prosecutors and became effective on October 10.
The Warsaw District Court had previously declined a request from Szopa’s defense team for a list żelazny—a document allowing suspects to participate in legal proceedings without the risk of arrest. The court argued that such a measure was insufficient to ensure proper legal procedures would be maintained.
Szopa is a key figure in an investigation linked to the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves (RARS) in Poland. Authorities allege that officials at RARS may have overstepped their authority and failed to fulfill their duties during the procurement and management of goods, leading to the ongoing inquiry involving Szopa’s activities.