Ireland is preparing for one of the most significant law enforcement operations in its recent history as alleged crime boss Daniel Kinahan faces extradition from the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. An Irish government jet flew to Dubai on Saturday to collect the 49-year-old, with the plane expected to land in Dublin on Sunday before Kinahan is transferred directly to the Special Criminal Court.
The security arrangements are extensive. Armed members of the Garda, Irish Defence Forces, and the Irish Prison Service will all be involved in the operation. The Irish Prison Service recently purchased a bulletproof and bomb-proof van specifically for the transport of high-risk prisoners. Facilities at the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison in County Laois, where Kinahan is expected to be held on remand, have also been upgraded ahead of his arrival.
Kinahan is expected to face charges related to his alleged involvement in leading an organised crime group. His extradition follows months of legal challenges in the UAE, all of which failed. An extradition agreement between Ireland and the UAE made the process possible. That same agreement was used earlier to extradite Sean McGovern, described as a senior lieutenant in the Kinahan criminal organisation, who was sentenced in June to 24 years in prison for directing criminal activities.
The scale of the security operation reflects the scale of the threat Kinahan is considered to represent. The US Treasury Department once described the Kinahan cartel as one of the most dangerous criminal organisations in the world. The US government imposed sanctions on Kinahan and other family members in April 2022. This came after identifying them as leaders of the cartel.
Kinahan’s Dealings
Ireland knows the history well. The Kinahan cartel was at the centre of a brutal gangland feud that claimed 18 lives on Irish streets.
Kinahan himself became a target in that feud. In 2016, rivals attempted to shoot him during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin. He escaped, but a man was killed in the attack. He left Ireland shortly afterwards, first living in Spain before settling in Dubai. An Irish court issued a warrant for his arrest in April of this year. He was arrested in the UAE the same month.
