'Our work is not over yet': Daniel Kinahan next on Garda list after arrest of his right-hand man

These are cartel leader, Daniel Kinahan, along with his brother, Christopher Jnr, and their father, cartel founder Christy Kinahan.

It comes as Garda Commissioner Drew Harris appealed directly to members of the Kinahan cartel to "consider their own future" by turning themselves in.

"In April 2022 US authorities announced their sanctions (against named members of the Kinahan crime gang) and a reward. I would speak, then unusually perhaps, to other members of the Kinahan crime gang.

“They should see what is happening here and they should remember that there is $15m with US federal law enforcement and the US Federal witness protection scheme open, and they should consider that.

“They should consider their own future, given the progress we are making into the Kinahan organised crime gang, collectively, not just us, but other partners, be it the National Crime Agency, Europol and our US federal law enforcement counterparts," Mr Harris said in Cork.

Sources said that it is now “in the hands of the UAE courts” to decide if they have the lawful authority to extradite McGovern to Ireland to face charges.

While the Department of Justice have been working with the UAE over the last year, there is no extradition treaty with the Middle Eastern state. But sources have said that the UAE authorities have “acted” on a specific extradition request sent through the department recently.

The request states that McGovern, aged 37, is wanted for the murder of Noel Kirwan in December 2016 and for directing a criminal organisation. It is understood that the amount of documentation sent to UAE authorities in support of the request is “voluminous”.

The Irish request was also assisted by the issuing of a ‘Red Notice’ by Interpol, the international police organisation. A ‘Red Notice’ is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

Mr Kirwan, a father of four, was an innocent man and was not involved in the Hutch gang. Gardaí believe he was killed because he was seen beside Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch at the funeral of brother Eddie Hutch Snr in February 2016.

Security sources said McGovern was flown out of Dublin to Dubai after Mr Kirwan’s murder by Daniel Kinahan and that no one else was provided with this special treatment.

“The arrest of McGovern is great and it's been a long slog,” a security source said. “We’re not giving up. They did too much damage. Our work is not over yet and won’t be until they are all either locked up.

There is only one person higher than McGovern and his blood pressure will be sky high this morning.

Gardaí and Irish justice officials won’t be called to give evidence when Dubai courts consider the extradition request, but judges will have all the documentation supplied by Irish authorities.

“It’s now a matter for UAE courts to decide if he is returned,” a security source said. “It could happen quickly unless he fights the extradition or finds issues in the vast paperwork.” 

The UAE authorities have deported major criminals before, including drug lord Ridouan Taghi to the Netherlands in December 2019 and mafia boss Raffaele Imperiale to Italy in March 2022.

The men are both associates of Daniel Kinahan and were members of what the US DEA described as a “super cartel” involving Irish, British, Bosnian, Dutch and Chilean traffickers.

Long process

McGovern’s arrest marks a major breakthrough and follows the official visit of Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to Dubai to meet authorities in September 2023 and a subsequent visit by Dubai police to Garda Organised and Serious Crime. 

The mammoth garda investigation into the Kinahan cartel was led for a long time by Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll. He retired in June 2022 and died last month, aged 64.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris welcomed the intervention by law enforcement in the UAE, and praised the late Assistant Commissioner's role in targeting the Kinahan cartel.

Mr Harris, who did not name the man who has been arrested because a criminal process is now underway, said more details of the operation will be released over the coming days about his identity and the next steps.

He said the garda investigation into the Kinahan organised crime gang has been a long process involving international partners.

“It was started off by the late John O’Driscoll with great skill, capacity and energy. We are following through on the foundations he laid in respect of international cooperation," he said.

Speaking on the wider investigation into the Kinihan organised crime gang, he said gardaí have always said they would be resolute and relentless in the pursuit of those individuals. “They are Irish nationals," he said.

"The Kinahan organised-crime gang has created misery throughout the world. They have been involved in very serious criminality. They are a murderous gang of drug dealers."

He also said real progress has been made since 2022 towards dismantling the criminal gang. “The whole what might have been called, 'the legitimate part of the business', has been broken down," he said.

“But they remain a priority target and a lot of our energy and effort is obviously then about bringing the overall leadership of the Kinahan organised crime gang to justice.”