The arrest in Dubai of the man who ran a drug empire in Europe

Dubai, the city that has the busiest airport in the world, is abandoned by tourists The war in Iran has not only altered the geopolitical balance in the Middle East. It also brought unexpected consequences. One of them came to fruition in mid-April, when authorities detained Irishman Daniel Kinahan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, identified for years as a key figure in international organized crime. In April 2022, the American government imposed sanctions after identifying him, along with other members of his family, as one of the leaders of the so-called Kinahan cartel, a network linked to drug trafficking, weapons and murders. Considered by the United States Treasury Department and European law enforcement agencies as one of the most influential criminals in Europe, Kinahan also maintained links with the world of sport through MTK Global, his former representation company (2012-2022). She worked with more than 100 boxers, including Brits Tyson Fury and Carl Frampton. The United Arab Emirates authorities carried out the arrest within a context of increased surveillance in the Middle East, caused by fears that international criminal networks would take advantage of the instability generated by the war in Iran. Investigative journalist Nicola Tallant, specializing in organized crime, stated that the arrest is very significant and represents a serious blow to the Kinahans. “The authorities invested a lot of time and human resources to dismantle the Kinahan cartel and this is a great achievement,” she told BBC News Mundo, the BBC’s Spanish-language service. “But it’s a very large organization, with a lot of money,” she continues, “and I don’t believe that eliminating a single person can destroy it.” “My opinion is that there are people already prepared to take over the direction of the cartel. They will not surrender, nor disappear, simply because Daniel was arrested.” Irish police said in a statement that the arrest demonstrates the importance and “need for international police cooperation to combat transnational organized crime.” The operation was made possible after Irish authorities sent a court file to the United Arab Emirates, detailing Kinahan’s alleged crimes and his role in the international criminal network. Based on this document, the Dubai Public Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant to begin legal procedures for his extradition. Kinahan was arrested less than 48 hours after the warrant was issued. According to the Irish police, this process took place within the scope of the bilateral extradition agreement between Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, considered fundamental for this type of joint operation. The Kinahans From left to right: Daniel Kinahan, Christopher Kinahan father and Christopher Kinahan son Paul Williams/Stephen Breen via BBC The relationship between the Kinahans and drug trafficking dates back to the 1980s, when Daniel’s father, Christopher Kinahan, was already a big presence. In 1986, Christopher Kinahan was arrested for heroin trafficking and sentenced to six years in prison. He later served shorter sentences in Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium. But he would have expanded his network of contacts, creating what, in police circles, came to be known as the Kinahan Organized Crime Group (KOCG, for its acronym in English). In 2010, KOCG had already centralized its operations in Marbella, in southern Spain. Brothers Daniel and Christopher Kinahan Jr. were suspected of helping their father run the family cartel. At that time, Daniel Kinahan was already well known. In 2012, in addition to Daniel, his father Christopher and six other members of the Kinahan family received sanctions from the United States Treasury Department. Washington accuses the alleged Kinahan cartel of being behind illegal activities in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. Journalist Nicola Tallant spent years investigating the Kinahan family. She explains that Daniel lived in Spain until 2016, where he founded the boxing promotion company MGM (which would later be called MTK Global), beginning to project the image of a legitimate businessman. Since that year, the group has been involved in a violent dispute with the rival Hutch gang. “One of the most striking episodes was the attempted murder at the Regency Hotel in Dublin, Ireland, which triggered a major police reaction in the country”, recalls Tallant. The Kinahans are believed to have centralized their operations in the city of Marbella, Spain, between mid-2010 and 2016 Getty Images via BBC In that attack, David Byrne, an associate of the Kinahans, was shot dead and two other people were injured. The dispute between the Hutch and the Kinahan has left at least 18 people dead to date. Tallant highlights that “Operation Shovel”, a previous attempt to dismantle the organization in 2010, failed due to the slow judicial system and the group’s solid legal defense. But after the Regency Hotel shooting in 2016, European police cooperation changed significantly, leading the Netherlands and France to share intelligence more effectively. The Irish authorities managed to dismantle much of the local structure. Around 70 members were arrested in a few years, for crimes such as murder and money laundering. But Kinahan’s pursuit became more complicated when he moved to Dubai in 2016, alongside his brother. Their father already lived there. In Dubai, Kinahan consolidated his position. He integrated himself into business circles and became an influential figure in international boxing. At the same time, international investigations intensified. Journalistic investigations and intelligence sources mentioned in the press indicate that those around the Kinahan cartel came to control a significant part of cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe. The US Treasury Department also describes the cartel as a “murderous organization”. In 2022, Washington offered a reward of US$5 million (about R$25 million) for information on each of the alleged leaders of the Kinahan cartel US Treasury Department Nicola Tallant explains that drug trafficking in Europe evolved from traditional centers. One of them is Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, which was called the “drug supermarket” due to its logistical position and permissive behavior. The other is the Costa del Sol, in southern Spain, marked by corruption, proximity to Morocco and the presence of international criminal networks. In recent years, according to Tallant, Dubai has gained importance as a new haven for major organized crime figures. They were attracted by the local lifestyle, the concentration of wealth and an environment that, according to her, allowed the arrival of capital linked to illicit activities, until international court orders came. “Dubai revolves around money and hedonistic lifestyles, a wealth that is difficult to imagine”, explains the journalist. “And much of this wealth comes from organized crime.” “A lot of groups feel welcome in that city, without a doubt.” Geopolitical sensitivity due to the war in Iran Dubai International Airport suspended flights after retaliatory attacks from Iran Altaf Qadri/AP Photo/picture alliance via DW The climate of regional tension due to the war in Iran and sensitivity regarding activities linked to the country apparently played against Daniel Kinahan. Several sources claim that UAE authorities began to act more firmly after the disclosure of links between Daniel Kinahan’s alleged cartel and networks associated with Iran, especially in relation to illicit activities, such as oil trading in contravention of American sanctions on the country’s exports. An investigation by the Dutch investigative journalism website Bellingcat concluded that people linked to the cartel participated in circuits transporting and selling sanctioned oil. At the same time, the British newspaper The Times mentioned security assessments, according to which the cartel maintained “links with Iranian intelligence, particularly in relation to the illicit oil trade”. The newspaper reported that this would have increased diplomatic pressure on the Emirates and contributed to the Arab country’s authorities deciding to take action in the matter. In this context, the geopolitical sensitivity surrounding the war in Iran and the attacks carried out by the country against the Gulf nations would have contributed to the UAE authorities reinforcing their cooperation with Ireland and taking action against the group’s main figures. For journalist Nicola Tallant, Kinahan’s arrest fits into a broader context, which includes the conflict in Iran and the cartel’s alleged links with organizations such as Hezbollah. Tallant highlights reports that the group had offered transport and investments linked to drug trafficking, to finance the activities of these organizations. She describes the case as a geopolitical backdrop that accompanied the investigation. This episode makes clear how international conflicts can intensify pressure on criminal networks. For the Irish government, the arrest of Daniel Kinahan represents a significant step forward in the fight against organized crime and an example of the increasing importance of international collaboration on security matters. In collaboration with journalist Darragh MacIntyre. VIDEOS: most watched on g1

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