Commissioner Harris says Kinahan gang leaders likely to be arrested abroad

Kenneth Fox

Leading members of the Kinahan crime organisation are more likely to be taken down by international policing authorities than face justice in Dublin, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said.

Mr Harris said the granting of permission by the High Court this week to seize a multimillion euro mansion from the Kinahan gang has given a morale boost to weary Garda officers.

Speaking at a lunch hosted by the Association of European Journalists, Mr Harris said it would be “fair enough” if major Kinahan figures were brought to book by international policing authorities as opposed to An Garda Síochána.

“The prospect of them gripping a rail here in Dublin, I’m not sure,” he told the  Irish Examiner.

"I think it’s more likely that international law enforcement will bring them to book," he said.

"And that’s fair enough, that somebody brings them to book somewhere.

“Whenever you engage with people internationally, you just have to set aside any sort of selfish regard, it doesn’t really matter. All things balance out, and you’ll get your own success in time.”

He said he and his officers have to think “what’s our best percentage chance” of bringing down the Kinahans.

“The best percentages are probably with international law enforcement. It’s probably in respect of flows of cash, the illicit movement of money, illicit business transactions, and drug trafficking,” he said.

In April, US law enforcement offered $5 million for information on the Kinahan gang or for the arrest and conviction of its leaders.

Mr Harris’ comments come as another gangland figure, Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, goes on trial on Monday for the killing of David Byrne, 34, at Dublin’s Regency Hotel on February 5th, 2016.

Meanwhile, Mr Harris acknowledged that his Garda force is “very tired” in the wake of Covid-19 and has endured a “grim eight weeks” between the ramming of Garda vehicles and dealing with the Creeslough tragedy in Donegal.