Gardaí meeting with Dubai police gave 'clear picture' of Kinahan operations

Kenneth Fox

Gardaí are understood to have a “clear picture” of what is required to seek the deportation of Kinahan cartel leaders after a landmark Irish-UAE police meeting.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris travelled to the United Arab Emirates and met the Commander in Chief of the Dubai Police to discuss possible legal avenues for the deportations.

As the Irish Examiner reports, that meeting on Tuesday came the day after he and Ireland’s Ambassador to the UAE, Alison Milton, met Government officials.

The commissioner was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly, Organised and Serious Crime, which is leading the Kinahan investigation. Christopher Kinahan and his sons, Daniel and Christopher junior, continue to live in Dubai along with senior cartel lieutenants, including Sean McGovern.

Garda HQ believed the meetings went very well and that they established a good relationship and a level of trust.

“There is a clear picture of what is required from each side to get this over the line and the work needed to get there,” said one source.

It is understood there will be follow-up contact between Garda HQ and Dubai Police and between the Irish embassy and Dubai authorities. Garda sources stress it will be a “long road” to secure the deportations.

Unlike the Kinahan leaders, McGovern is facing criminal charges of murder in Ireland and has a European Arrest Warrant out against him, since April 2022.

Gardaí hope that if they can convince the Dubai authorities with their evidence against McGovern that they might be willing to act and, if they achieve that, they can then go for Daniel Kinahan.

Two months ago gardaí submitted an investigation file to the DPP in relation to the cartel leadership.

The garda file recommended that a charge of directing a criminal organisation be brought against Daniel Kinahan, but sources expect it will take the DPP some time to examine the file, which contains 30 volumes of material.