A major international crime suspect has been captured after years of evading authorities.
Daniel Kinahan, the alleged leader of Ireland’s powerful Kinahan cartel, was arrested in Dubai in a covert operation involving Irish and United Arab Emirates authorities.
The 48-year-old is expected to face organised crime charges in Ireland linked to a deadly gang feud that has left at least 18 people dead since 2015.
Dubai Police confirmed the arrest of an Irish fugitive accused of involvement in an international criminal group, though officials did not publicly identify him by name. Irish media later confirmed the suspect was Kinahan.
Ireland’s national police force, An Garda Síochána, said the arrest was carried out under a warrant issued by Irish courts. Authorities described it as a major success in the fight against transnational organised crime.
Kinahan reportedly fled Ireland for Spain before relocating to the United Arab Emirates. He was believed to be the target of an assassination attempt at Dublin’s Regency Hotel, an incident that intensified the long-running feud between the Kinahan cartel and the Hutch gang.
In 2022, the United States Department of the Treasury announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Kinahan cartel leaders or the disruption of its finances.
The cartel has been accused of controlling a large share of Europe’s cocaine trade through alliances with other criminal networks.
Kinahan also had links to professional boxing through management company MTK Global, which later ceased operations.
The arrest is expected to trigger extradition proceedings and renewed scrutiny of organised crime networks across Europe.