UAE extradites alleged cartel boss Daniel Kinahan to Ireland

Daniel Kinahan, the alleged leader of an Irish organized crime network accused of trafficking drugs, laundering money and fueling a violent gang feud, has been extradited from Dubai to Ireland to face charges in Dublin.

Kinahan, 49, left the United Arab Emirates on an Irish government jet Sunday after courts there refused to block his extradition. Air Tracker data showed an Irish Air Corps plane from Dubai landing Sunday evening at a military airport on the outskirts of Dublin. He is expected to appear before Ireland’s Special Criminal Court, charged in connection with directing an organized crime group, and then be transferred to the high-security Portlaoise Prison, Irish broadcaster RTE reported.

The extradition followed a final ruling by the Dubai Court of Cassation and was carried out under an extradition treaty between the UAE and Ireland, according to a joint statement from the countries’ justice ministers. Kinahan was arrested in Dubai in April on an Irish warrant for alleged serious organized crime offenses. He had lived openly in the emirate for about a decade, Al Jazeera reported.

“Kinahan is considered one of the most wanted individuals in cases related to transnational organised crime,” the Emirati-Irish statement said. “He has been accused of leading an organised criminal group, murder and illicit trafficking of narcotics, pursuant to an official request submitted by the Irish authorities.”

Ireland’s Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and UAE Justice Minister Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi said the extradition sent “a clear message” that people suspected of serious and organized crime would find “no safe haven from justice.”

Irish media reported that a major security operation was under way for Kinahan’s arrival, involving armed police, the military and prison authorities. RTE reported that Ireland’s prison service recently acquired a bombproof escort van to transport organized crime suspects, terrorists and other high-risk prisoners.

The Special Criminal Court hears organized crime and terrorism cases, along with other cases in which prosecutors believe ordinary courts are inadequate to ensure the “effective administration of justice.” Cases are heard by three judges without a jury.

U.S. and European authorities have linked the Kinahan Organized Crime Group to drug trafficking, money laundering, firearms trafficking and murder. In 2022, the United States named Kinahan as one of three leaders of the group, imposed sanctions on him and other family members, and offered a $5 million reward for information leading to their arrests.

The U.S. Treasury Department said in 2022 that the group had been involved since February 2016 in a gang war with another organization in Ireland and Spain, “resulting in numerous murders, including of two innocent bystanders.” Al Jazeera reported that the rival group is the Dublin-based Hutch gang.

Irish police, aided by authorities in Britain, Spain and the United States, have pursued alleged members of the Kinahan network for the past decade. Authorities allege the group smuggled tens of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine, cannabis and guns into Europe and used apparently legitimate businesses to launder the proceeds. The U.S. Treasury said Kinahan ran day-to-day operations from Dubai, including buying “large quantities of cocaine” from South America and organizing distribution in Ireland.

In 2022, Thomas “Bomber” Kavanagh, described as the head of the Kinahan organization in Britain, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for orchestrating drug shipments into the United Kingdom. Two other men received sentences of 20 years and 19½ years.

Kinahan has previously denied allegations that he is a crime boss. A lawyer representing him told the BBC in 2021 that he had no criminal record or convictions and that allegations against him were false.