The clock is ticking on the extradition back to Ireland of top gangland “fugitive” Daniel Kinahan after a surveillance and arrest operation in the United Arab Emirates.
The head of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group – still one of Europe’s biggest drug trafficking cartels – is now in custody in Dubai pending the commencement of extradition court hearings.
“This is really good for An Garda Síochána and other authorities, and for Ireland, but it’s particularly good for the communities most affected – and to see justice being done,” former assistant commissioner Pat Leahy said.
The commander of the Dublin North Central Division during the Kinahan-Hutch feud, which claimed 18 lives – 16 at the hands of the Kinahan cartel – said people in Dublin’s north inner city, in particular, will be “relieved and satisfied” by news of the arrest.
Former assistant commissioner Michael O’Sullivan, who investigated the Kinahans at many levels, told the the arrest was “incredibly significant” and a tribute to the years of hard work by gardaí and Irish authorities.
If, as is likely, Kinahan contests the extradition, it could take a number of months, if the extradition proceedings are successful, before he is sent home.
His senior lieutenant Sean McGovern, who was arrested in Dubai in October 2024, contested his extradition and it took seven months before he was put on an Irish Air Corps plane back to Dublin.
He was the first person extradited from the UAE to Ireland and sources say it is possible the second case could proceed more quickly.
Kinahan, aged 48, was arrested last Wednesday – less than two days after Irish prosecution officers submitted their extradition file to UAE authorities.
The son of cartel founder Christy Kinahan fled from Spain to the UAE in 2017, a year after he escaped being killed by a Hutch assassination team at the Regency Hotel in north Dublin in February 2016.
In April 2022, on foot of international efforts by then assistant garda commissioner John O’Driscoll, US authorities placed a combined €15 million bounty, as well as travel and financial restrictions, on Daniel, Christy and Daniel’s brother Christopher Junior – all living in palatial residences in UAE.
A month ago, McGovern, from Kildare Road, Crumlin, pleaded guilty to directing the activities of a criminal organisation and to the murder of Noel Kirwan, in Clondalkin, just before Christmas 2016 and other gangland offences. He is due to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau led the investigation and submitted extensive files to the DPP seeking Kinahan’s extradition to face charges of directing a criminal organisation and the murder of Eddie Hutch, the brother of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, just three days after the Regency attack.
They eventually got the green light from the State prosecutor, who sent the file to the UAE at the start of this week.
“One of the positives is that the DPP would not issue the extradition warrant unless they believe the evidence is there,” Mr Leahy said.
“You only get one bite of the cherry, the investigation is over, we are now at charging stage and it’s on that basis the Dubai police arrested him – for extradition to be charged.”
He added: “He’s entitled to a defence but at some stage in the near future he’s probably coming home – and coming home to be brought to the courts.”
A statement issued by Garda HQ said: “Today’s arrest is another extremely important demonstration of the need for international law enforcement cooperation in tackling transnational organised crime.”
It said its relationship with the UAE and its police “is valued”.
In its statement, Dubai police said they had arrested an “Irish fugitive tied to a transnational organised crime network”.
It said the arrest took place on 15 April, less than two days after it received a “judicial file” from Irish authorities.
“Specialised teams immediately launched intensive search and surveillance operations, leading to the suspect’s capture within 48 hours of the warrant being issued,” it said.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said he had contacted his UAE counterpart Minister of Justice, His Excellency Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, to express his thanks and acknowledge the “strong judicial co-operation in criminal matters” between Ireland and the UAE.
He added: “I would like to commend all involved in today’s development, which is the result of tireless work by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, officials in the Department of Justice with their UAE counterparts, the Department of Foreign Affairs and other agencies.”