Ireland’s top police officer called Kinahan’s arrest in Dubai “very significant”
Ireland’s top police officer said the “very significant” arrest of Daniel Kinahan was not the end of the force’s investigation into the cartel. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has officially named Kinahan in public for the first time since the alleged crime boss was arrested in Dubai last Friday.
Kinahan, who has been named in the Irish courts as the head of one of Europe’s most prominent drug gangs, was held in the United Arab Emirates on an Irish arrest warrant. Speaking to the media for the first time, Commissioner Kelly said today: “So last Friday as you are all aware there were significant developments in our ongoing investigation into the Kinahan Organised Crime Group with the arrest of Daniel Kinahan in Dubai in the UAE.
“The work that led to this was very significant. There were a lot of players involved in the work behind the scenes in this case.”
Asked by the Irish Mirror if police are now pursuing Kinahan’s dad, the “Dapper Don” Christy Kinahan, and his son Christy Jr, the Commissioner said he couldn’t comment directly on named individuals.
But he added: “What I would say is our investigation into this group absolutely continues. So this is certainly not an end point to us. And again, I certainly want to repeat that.
“We’re going to be relentless around individuals who have caused murder and mayhem here in Ireland and are responsible for, as you will all know, a significant number of homicides, including two innocent people.”
The Kinahan crime syndicate is allegedly one of the major players in the global supply of drugs for decades. Their control is believed to stretch globally and include links to organised crime groups on Merseyside.
The antics of the organised crime group was drawn into the open following an assassination attempt against Daniel Kinahan at a boxing weigh-in in Dublin in February. The subsequent conflict between the Kinahan crime group and the Hutch gang resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people in a series of tit-for-tat hits.
Commissioner Kelly said: “That’s our focus. Our focus is on the victims, the victims’ families and the destruction that they’ve caused to some of our societies here in Ireland. So that’s our motivation. We’re just going to continue that work.
“And for me as the Garda Commissioner and for Paul Cleary as Acting Deputy Commissioner and Shauna Coxton as the Deputy Commissioner, we’re completely aligned about making sure that these units that are working, spearheading this work, they have all the capacity, they have all the international relations that they need to do that work really, really well. So, I mean, that’s our sole focus at the moment.”
Earlier he paid tribute to the late Garda Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, who tragically died in 2024 before he could see the results of the investigation into Kinahan.
The Commissioner also told of his strong relationship with the Commander in Chief of the Dubai Police – Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri – who he said he spoke to last Friday after the dramatic arrest in the UAE.
“I was absolutely delighted on Friday to speak to Lieutenant General Al Marri on the phone about the developments with Daniel Kinahan,” he said. “And again, a very positive development, not just for ourselves and in An Garda of Siochana, but also for Dubai Police. So, look, I think our work here continues.”
The Commissioner was asked about whether he could give details about the arrest – and whether gardai were on the ground for the big moment. He was however reluctant to give many details on the operation – but indicated that gardai are now awaiting Kinahan’s extradition hearing in a UAE court.
He said: “So, look, obviously, this is a matter for the authorities in the UAE. So there’s a process there, a judicial process. So, I mean, for us, of course, we wait. We watch with anticipation to see how that will go.”
He added that he did not know how long that process could take – but said gardai will continue to liaise with authorities on the matter.
Kinahan was arrested last week on the foot of an arrest warrant issued by the Irish courts. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that gardai can charge Kinahan, 48, with directing a criminal organisation.
Officers believe Kinahan directed the gang’s murderous campaign on the streets of Dublin between 2016 and 2018.
