UAE Extradites International Crime Boss Daniel Kinahan to Ireland
Al Jazeera Staff
The United Arab Emirates has extradited alleged Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan to Dublin, where he faces charges related to leading a transnational criminal organization. The 49-year-old arrived on an Irish government aircraft and is expected to appear before the Special Criminal Court.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has extradited alleged Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan, with the 49-year-old expected to appear in court in Dublin on charges related to running a transnational criminal organization.
Kinahan left Dubai on an Irish government aircraft on Sunday and is expected to appear before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin the same day. The extradition follows a final ruling by the Dubai Court of Cassation and was carried out under the bilateral extradition agreement between the UAE and Ireland, according to a joint statement by the two countries' justice ministers.
Kinahan was arrested in Dubai in April under an Irish arrest warrant on charges of serious organized crime. He had lived openly in the emirate for about a decade.
In 2022, the United States identified Kinahan as one of three leaders of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group (KOCG), which U.S. and European officials have linked to drug trafficking, money laundering, arms dealing, and murder. The group is believed to have risen from the streets of Dublin to become one of the world's largest international criminal organizations, with ties to South American drug cartels, Chinese mafia groups, and Hezbollah.
U.S. authorities have imposed sanctions on Kinahan and other family members and offered a $5 million reward for information leading to their arrest.
“Kinahan is considered one of the most wanted individuals in cases related to transnational organized crime,” the joint UAE-Ireland statement said on Sunday. “He is accused of leading an organized criminal group, murder, and illicit drug trafficking, following a formal request from the Irish authorities.”
Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and his UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi said the extradition sends a “clear message” that those suspected of serious and organized crime will not find a “safe haven from justice.”
Irish media reported a major security operation was underway ahead of Kinahan's arrival, involving armed police, military, and prison service personnel. Kinahan is expected to be taken directly to the Special Criminal Court before being transferred to Portlaoise high-security prison, according to Irish broadcaster RTE.
An Irish government jet flew from Casement Aerodrome outside Dublin to Dubai on Saturday and left the UAE on Sunday morning with Kinahan on board. He is the second senior figure linked to the organization to be extradited from Dubai.
Sean McGovern, described by an Irish judge as a senior lieutenant in the organization, was extradited from the UAE after his arrest in 2024. McGovern was sentenced to 24 years in prison in June after pleading guilty to directing organized crime and conspiracy to murder.
The Kinahan organization was involved in a long and bloody feud with the rival Hutch gang in Dublin. Irish police estimate the group's assets at over €1 billion ($1.15 billion).
Kinahan has previously denied allegations that he is a crime boss. A lawyer representing him told the BBC in 2021 that Kinahan had no criminal record and that the allegations against him were false.
