The Kinahan cartel will likely “take their chances” and continue living lives of luxury and decadence in Dubai, an investigative journalist has predicted.
Last week, Dubai authorities sent shockwaves through the world of international crime when they arrested Daniel Kinahan on the orders of an Irish court.
The crime boss has not yet been extradited to Ireland and is expected to contest the arrest warrant.
On Newstalk Daily, Bellingcat journalist Connor Plunkett explained the turning point in the case came when the United States became interested in them.
“One of the biggest sources of cocaine coming into Europe is basically from the Kinahans and they then branched off into arms smuggling,” he explained.
“It was in 2022 then when things came to a head, when they were sanctioned by the US Government and there was a $5 million reward put on each of the three Kinahan family members' heads.
“That really put them into the big leagues; it just kind of showed how advanced they had gotten from those small roots in Ireland.”
Daniel Kinahan.While they began their careers as small-time Dublin drug dealers, the Kinahans have since become experts at moving narcotics around the world.
Notably as well, they became excellent at developing relationships with other people in the murky world of international drug dealing - although, not with the Hutch Organised Crime Gang.
It all meant they were able to amass vast wealth most people could only dream of.
“By all accounts they were having a VIP lifestyle,” Mr Plunkett said.
“Even years after the US sanctions were put out in 2022, they're still at the front row of this MMA event in the VIP seats, talking to the event founder, having a nice time with their family.”
A beach in Dubai. Picture by: Alamy.com.Mr Plunkett noted that while Daniel has been arrested, his father and brother, Christy and Christopher Junior, remain in Dubai.
It means the organisation is unlikely to be left leaderless in the coming months.
“The last time they were arrested was 2010 in Spain but they all ended up getting released,” he said.
“So, this is definitely going to have an effect.
“In terms of a power vacuum, again, Christy Kinehan and Christopher Junior are still in Dubai, they're still free.
“Other members of the cartel are still there like Ian Dixon and Bernard Clancy, both of whom were sanctioned by the US Government in 2022.
“So, other people are there to step in and I'm sure that they'll be prepared for this eventuality to some extent - I mean, it was coming for a long time.”
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Mr Plunkett continued that he expected Christy would take a more active role in the organisation the time being.
Potentially as well, the organisation might relocate; previously, there was talk of the Kinehans moving to Russia or Iran.
“I think they, given the roots they have in the UAE, they've got family members there, they've got associates, business interests, I think to start again somewhere else is going to be a big step,” Mr Plunkett said.
“There's a lot of unknowns so I think given the fact that there isn't actually an arrest warrant from the Irish government for the remaining Kinahan cartel members, maybe they'll think it'll be better for them to take their chances in Dubai and just stay put for the time being.”
Main image: The then US Ambassador announces a reward for the arrest and conviction of the Kinahans. Picture by: Alamy.com.
