By Timour Azhari
SAUDI Arabia has placed financial transfers to the (UAE) United Arab Emirates under extra layers of regulatory oversight reserved for countries considered high-risk for illicit money flows, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter, the latest sign of a widening rift between the wealthy Gulf monarchies.
The measures, which were not announced publicly, could help explain why a number of companies say they have had difficulties transferring funds from accounts in Saudi Arabia to the UAE in recent months, an issue first reported by Bloomberg and the Financial Times in July. The enhanced oversight measures have not previously been reported.
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