The Government has established extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties with the United Arab Emirates, which will ease the process of returning senior members of the Kinahan organized crime group to Ireland for trial.
The leaders of the international drug trafficking gang are situated in Dubai. One of these leaders, Sean McGovern, is currently detained and facing extradition for a murder charge in Ireland.
The treaties are anticipated to be signed by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee in Abu Dhabi next week, following discussions with her Emirati counterpart.
The minister stated that the treaties represent a “significant support in combating organized crime and transnational drug trafficking gangs”.
Sanctions had already been applied by the US against Christopher Kinahan Jr., Daniel Kinahan, and Christopher Kinahan.
“This will apply to any criminal residing in the UAE,” she remarked.
“Clearly, the Kinahan family and their organization have made it their base for several years, so without delving into specifics, this will empower An Garda Síochána to pursue a request from the DPP to press charges, enabling them to go to the courts for a warrant to present to the UAE authorities, ultimately allowing extraditions.”
‘Strengthening the net’ – McEntee
Ms. McEntee emphasized the importance of sending a message that “no matter who you are, criminals must understand that they cannot escape justice”.
She added: “Individuals who commit crimes with penalties exceeding one year, who leave this country and attempt to elude justice in Irish courts, can be extradited and brought back home.”
The Minister for Justice noted that the extradition treaty will aid gardaí in their policing operations globally.
“This will enable them to interact with their international counterparts in a more swift, efficient, and effective manner, whether in seeking evidence, conducting interviews, or anything else necessary for prosecuting criminal cases,” she stated.
“Our aim is to tighten the net, and many countries, including all EU nations, the UK, America, Australia, and beyond, have such agreements in force. The more agreements we establish, the tighter the net becomes,” Ms. McEntee added.
UAE regarded as a haven for criminals
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has long been viewed as a refuge for wanted criminals and international drug traffickers.
The heads of the Kinahan organized crime group, Christy Sr., Daniel, and Christopher Jr., fled there from the Costa del Sol in 2016 to avoid potential extradition to Ireland as Spanish authorities intensified cooperation with gardaí investigating the Hutch-Kinahan feud murders.
Other high-ranking members of the Kinahan gang, such as Ian Dixon, John Morrissey, Bernard Clancy, and Sean McGovern, have also established their bases in Dubai.
All seven have faced sanctions from US authorities, and a $5 million reward was announced for information leading to the conviction of each of the three Kinahans.
The transnational organized crime group received a significant setback last Thursday, when Sean McGovern, Daniel Kinahan’s close associate, was arrested under an Interpol red notice.
The 38-year-old from Drimnagh, Dublin, who is wanted in Ireland for murder and orchestrating activities of a criminal gang, is currently in custody in Dubai awaiting extradition.
During a virtual cabinet meeting this morning, the Government authorized the Minister for Justice to sign bilateral treaties with the UAE regarding extradition and mutual assistance.
Government taking ‘necessary measures to dismantle organized crime’
The Department of Justice indicated that these developments followed a year of negotiations and extensive discussions between the minister and the Emirati Minister of Justice, His Excellency Abdullah Bin Sultan Bin Awad Al Nuaimi.
The Government stated that these two agreements will enhance the effectiveness of cooperation between Ireland and the UAE in combating crime and expediting extradition.
It also affirmed that it is taking “all necessary steps to dismantle organized crime, and the endorsement of these bilateral treaties will significantly aid in addressing organized crime and transnational drug trafficking gangs”.
The initiative to develop international partnerships was spearheaded by the late Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’Driscoll, with the United Arab Emirates becoming the latest country to collaborate with gardaí in targeting the Kinahan gang, alongside the US, UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand.
Gardaí stated they continue to focus on the operations and leadership of the Kinahan organized crime group, and a substantial file regarding Daniel Kinahan has been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
If the DPP determines there is substantial evidence to initiate serious charges against the Kinahan organized crime group’s leader, these new extradition arrangements will facilitate a smoother process for the state to have him extradited to face trial in Ireland.
Gardaí also pointed out that several other Irish criminals are based in Dubai, including a drug trafficker from Donegal who has been pursued by the Criminal Assets Bureau, which seized his property and assets.
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Additional reporting: Dimitri O’Donnell
