Gardaí could soon order the extradition of Daniel Kinahan in relation to the murder of Eddie Hutch, two of Ireland’s most senior crime journalists have said.
In the wake of the Regency Hotel murder, the Kinahan clan fled first to Spain and then Dubai.
While they might be over 8,000 miles away from Ireland, Gardaí have not forgotten them and it is widely expected extradition warrants will at some point be issued for them.
Kinahan Assassins authors Stephen Breen and John Hand have produced a new podcast series about the clan and both believe the legal net is slowly closing in on Ireland's most infamous gang.
Ireland and the UAE signed an extradition treaty in 2024 but, so far, Gardaí have declined to issue an arrest warrant for Daniel Kinahan.
“Essentially the DPP have no timeline,” Mr Hand explained on The Pat Kenny Show.
“They can take as long as they like to make a decision on this, get as much advice as they can or need to.
“So, there is no timeline on that.
“But it is a significant file in relation to Daniel Kinahan on orchestrating an organised crime gang, running an organised crime gang and a second file in relation to the murder of Eddie Hutch, which he features in as well.”
Handout issued by the US State Department. Picture by: Alamy.com.While Mr Breen believes the Kinahans might decide to flee again, perhaps to somewhere in Africa, perhaps Russia or Iran, their choices are now severely limited.
“They have immersed themselves in the society in the UAE,” he added.
“Of course, they will be looking around them and seeing that many other senior figures within organised crime have been deported to other European countries.
“Of course, here in Ireland, we had one of their close associates, Seán McGovern, extradited as well.
“So, although they may be enjoying life there, they have the financial assets, the lobbyist lifestyles, they are still under pressure.”
While the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau are still investigating them, Mr Hand added that the “landscape has changed so much in recent years”.
They might not have stepped foot in Ireland for years but their native land is still of vital importance to the gang’s operations.
“Daniel Kinahan in particular is involved with essentially the bulk transportation of cocaine from South America into Europe at a much higher level,” he said.
“You hear Gardaí talk about networks now; it's no longer kind of cartels having grips in major areas.
“It's more so cartels working together and facilitating each other and their contacts too.”
Anyone with information that leads to the arrest or conviction of Daniel Kinahan can still claim a reward of $5 million from the US Department of State.
Main image: Daniel Kinahan and the funeral of Eddie Hutch. Pictures: Supplied and by Rolling News.
