Daniel Kinahan Arrested in Dubai on Irish Warrant for Organized Crime Charges

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Irish drug trafficker Daniel Kinahan has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates based on an arrest warrant issued by an Irish court and is likely to be extradited back to Ireland.

Kinahan, was arrested in Dubai on April 15. just after an arrest warrant was issued by the Irish Courts in relation to alleged Serious Organised Crime offenses.

Daniel, his brother and his father, Christy Kinahan Sr., have been living in Dubai since 2016, when they moved from Spain to the Middle East following an attack on a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel by the rival Hutch gang.

A statement from the Garda Press Office said the Gardaí are aware of the arrest of an Irish National in the United Arab Emirates. The arrest is in accordance with the bilateral extradition agreement between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.

However, Gardaí say the arrest of the Irish National in Dubai remains a matter for the authorities in the United Arab Emirates at this time, but added, "Today’s arrest is another extremely important demonstration of the need for international law enforcement cooperation in tackling transnational organised crime. An Garda Síochána has developed many major international partnerships in our efforts to target transnational organised crime groups."

Irish Garda Investigation

In 2023 The Irish Times revealed that Kinahan was at the centre of a major Garda investigation into the cartel’s crimes in Ireland, with a file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Though a decision to charge him took almost three years, the DPP has directed the 48-year-old be charged with organised crime-related offenses.

The Irish Garda has completed a major criminal investigation into the leadership figures of the Kinahan Cartel, submitting a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a decision on criminal charges against them.

The crimes investigated were committed in the Irish Republic and are linked to the cartel’s drug-trafficking business and its dispute, which escalated into a bloody feud with the Hutch gang, resulting in 18 dead.

Many Garda officers believed that US authorities were the most likely to bring the Kinahans to justice, mainly because of the power of US law enforcement and the rewards of up to $5 million offered for information that would lead to criminal charges.

However, there is now renewed hope the leadership figures of the cartel, who have been based mainly in Dubai for much of the past decade, will be charged in the Republic and extradited there to face trial. The Garda file has been under review by the DPP for several months and there is optimism within Irish law-enforcement charges will be approved.

Completing the major Garda investigation and submitting the file into the cartel’s top tier is very significant as its founder, Christy Kinahan Sr, has not been before the courts in Ireland for more than two decades.

He has never been charged with any cartel-related or violent crimes in Ireland. In the 1980s, he served time for dealing heroin, and later charges included passport fraud and money laundering.

His sons, Daniel and Christopher Jr., who have been named in Irish courts as leaders in the cartel, have never faced charges in Ireland.

Dubai Arrest

The Dubai government said police had arrested an Irish fugitive for his “alleged role in an international organised crime network”.

It added: “The arrest followed the receipt of a judicial file from Irish authorities detailing the suspect’s alleged crimes and his involvement in an international criminal organisation. Based on the file, Dubai Public Prosecution issued an arrest warrant to initiate legal procedures ahead of his extradition.

“Specialised teams immediately launched intensive search and surveillance operations, leading to the suspect’s capture within 48 hours of the warrant being issued. Dubai police confirmed that the arrest took place on 15 April, reflecting the force’s rapid response and operational readiness in handling international cases.”

Kinahan is the second figure at the apex of the cartel arrested in Dubai for extradition to Ireland. His close associate Sean McGovern was arrested in Dubai in 2024 and extradited to Ireland last year.

He has since been before the courts and has pleaded guilty to a range of offences. They included directing organised crime in relation to a Kinahan-Hutch feud murder in 2016 and surveillance on another man who was being targeted for execution.

Kinahan and McGovern were among seven key figures at the top of the Kinahan cartel, who were all based in Dubai at one time, sanctioned by the US department of the treasury in April, 2022. American law enforcement also offered rewards of $5 million for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of Christy Kinahan or his sons, Daniel and Christopher.

Sources Extra.ie, RTE, Irish Times