Attempts to extradite key members of the Kinahan cartel to Ireland would likely be successful with cross-border pressure from the EU and US.
Irish Times Crime Editor Conor Lally was speaking after a completed Garda report into the Kinahan cartel was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
It follows a major investigation into the criminal organisation, its drug trafficking business and its ongoing feud with the Hutch gang which began in 2014.
The report brings renewed hope that the those in leadership positions - currently based in Dubai - could be charged in Ireland and extradited here to face trial.
Mr Lally told The Pat Kenny Show that if charges were approved, extradition looks likely.
"Either Ireland or the EU haven't got an extradition arrangement with the United Arab Emirates; however, you can extradite anybody from anywhere once the two individual countries agree on the actual process for the target individual,” he said.
"Some European drug dealers have been extradited from the United Arab Emirates in the last year or two."
'I think that would happen'
Mr Lally said extradition is possible with agreement of the two countries involved.
"It certainly can be done, but you have to get the authorities in Dubai to agree," he said.
"So far they haven't been terribly cooperative with the Guards.
"The United Arab Emirates is coming under more pressure from the EU to play ball on things like transnational police inquiries and also extraditions.
"So, I think if the DPP approved charges, particularly against either of the three Kinahans, I think the Americans, the Irish and the European Union would all combine to put a lot of pressure on the UAE to agree to extradite them back to Ireland.
"I think that would happen."
The marina in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is seen in March 2012. Picture by: Jan Wlodarczyk / Alamy Stock PhotoMr Lally said Gardaí wanted to gather as much evidence as possible on the Kinahans before filing with the DPP.
"The main focus of the Garda inquiry into these feuding gangs related to the shootings that took place between 2016 and 2018 in Ireland," he said.
"There was a massive Garda operation that had to be put in place to contain that feud, and then to bring people before the courts.
"That did take up a lot of the Gardaí's attention for that first block of years after the feud started.
"I guess when you're investigating people like Christy Kinahan Senior, Christopher Kinahan Junior and Daniel Kinahan, they're obviously senior cartel leaders; they have a lot of people who they can pay to do various jobs for them.
"These people at the top of the tree are generally hard to catch," he added.
Last year US authorities announced a $5m reward for any information leading to the arrest of three members of the Kinahan family.
@StateDept Reward of up to $5,000,000.00 USD for information leading to the Financial Disruption of the Kinahan Criminal Organisation or the arrest and/or conviction of:
Daniel Kinahan
Christy Kinahan Sr
Christy Kinahan Jr
Submit Tips via email to KinahanTCOTips@dea.gov pic.twitter.com/IkyLsqIGDN— Garda Info (@gardainfo) April 12, 2022
