Further evidence came this week that the U.K. Financial Services Authority is taking a tougher stance on enforcement. Charging two suspects in an insider dealing case, the regulator for the first time sought the extradition of a suspect from abroad.

The FSA used a European Arrest Warrant issued by a London court to empower the authorities in the French territory of Mayotte to arrest a Singaporean national. Mayotte is a small island in the Indian Ocean.

The unnamed suspect is due to appear before a local court this week, when a request for his extradition to the U.K, to face charges of insider dealing will be heard.

In the meantime, the FSA charged two other individuals in the case: Christian Littlewood, a senior investment banker, and his wife Angie Littlewood. The two face 13 counts of insider dealing. The offenses relate to trading in a number of different stocks listed on the London Stock Exchange and its junior AIM market between 2000 and 2009.

The FSA has cranked up its efforts to tackle insider dealing over the last 18 months.

Last week it secured its third conviction in an insider dealing case, giving the regulator a three-in-three success rate. Malcolm Calvert, a former equities market-maker at stock broker Cazenove, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for insider dealing. He was found guilty on five counts after making £103,883 ($157,691) profit.

The regulator fined a second person involved in the case, rather than seeking a criminal prosecution, because he assisted with its investigation.

Commenting on the case, Margaret Cole, director of enforcement and financial crime at the FSA, said: “We will not tolerate insider dealing and will take the strongest action against anybody found to be involved in it.”

Apart from the Littlewood case, the regulator has charges outstanding in connection with two other insider dealing cases: one involving trading in Neutec Pharma shares, the other focusing on PM Group.