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END OF THE ROAD FOR THE KINAHANS? As 'Irish and UAE police thrash out deal to target cartel'
THE leaders of the Kinahan Cartel could be returned to Ireland to face justice under a bilateral agreement being thrashed out with Dubai authorities, it has been reported.
The head of the Dubai police force is understood to have offered in a letter to send a team of detectives to Ireland to help with the operation, it is claimed.
The offer was made by Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris after his visit to the United Arab Emirates last week.
They would work to build a case against alleged Kinahan leaders Daniel Kinahan, 46, (top left) his brother Christopher Kinahan, 43, (middle) their dad Christy "The Dapper Don" Kinahan, 66, (top right) and other key leaders, including Dubliner Sean McGovern, also based in Dubai.
Commissioner Harris made the visit with Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, responsible for gangland investigations,
The agreement is an attempt to dismantle the cartel suspected of involvement in an international drugs and firearms trafficking operation spanning Ireland, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, south America, the US and Dubai.
It is also suspected of involvement in about 20 gangland murders, the majority of which are connected to a feud with the rival Irish Hutch crime gang.
It is understood the bilateral agreement would see Garda also head to Dubai, whoever details are still to be finalised.
Mr Harris told the annual conference of the Association of Garda Superintendents in Naas, Co Kildare, this week: “We had a very profitable visit to the police in Dubai.
“I met my opposite number in terms of the Lieutenant-General commander in Chief.
“We had a very fruitful exchange in terms of transnational organised crime, drug trafficking, but also other areas including financial crime, cyber crime, human trafficking, etc.
“What we want to do from now is then really develop that relationship.
“We have a focus on the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang.
“They are still based in Dubai and we want to work with our colleagues in terms of the Dubai Police in terms of obtaining information, intelligence and evidence.
“As I say, we had a very positive engagement with Dubai Police.
“I am not going set out the next steps in the investigative strategy around the Kinahan cartel, we have had an exchange of letters and there is an understanding in terms of how we will now move forward.
“Very quickly we have been in further communication with each other and I want to build on that as well.
“The purpose of this is to manage this investigation by gaining as much information and evidence as possible.
“That’s our purpose and we are working very closely with the Dubai Police in that respect.”
It comes after the USA announced in Dublin in April 2022 that it had designated the Kinahan Cartel and launched a $5million reward for information leading to the arrest of seven key members including the three Kinahans, McGovern and Johnny Morrisey, who was arrested in Spain in June 2022.
The 62-year-old, nicknamed Johnny Cash, is still remanded and has yet to be charged in connection with allegations he spearheaded a €200 million money laundering scheme used by the Kinahan cartel.
In the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) brought down the British arm of the cartel headed by Thomas "Bomber" Kavanagh when he was jailed for 21 years for drug supply offences in March 2022, a month before the US announcements.
On Monday, September 11 2023, Dubai police arrested the eldest son of Kinahan cartel ally Ridouan Taghi in Dubai.
Dutch prosecutors are seeking the extradition of 22-year-old Faissal Taghi to the Netherlands where he is wanted on suspicion of being part of a criminal drug smuggling gang. He is also suspected to be involved in money laundering and in preparing to commit violent crimes, prosecutors allege.
Taghi senior was himself arrested in late 2019 in Dubai and extradited to the Netherlands to face trial.