Luxurious ‘man caves’ found in Kinahan search

A top lieutenant in the Kinahan crime cartel is being questioned for suspected money laundering in a major operation led by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

CAB, with the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and armed units, searched 18 properties, including 10 homes, in Dublin and Cork.

These homes are believed to have been purchased by the lieutenant, his wider family, friends and associates, and “blinged up” with expensive renovations and extensions and luxurious “man caves”.

Two jeeps, designer clothing, and seven Rolex watches were seized.

Eight of the nine homes are in Dublin, with the ninth in Straffan, Co Kildare, owned by a relative of a sports figure.

Five of the properties, including the home of the suspect, are in Walkinstown, two are in Crumlin, and one in Ballyfermot.

The 36-year-old crime boss, himself from Crumlin, is a major drug-trafficker for the cartel.

“The homes in Dublin are owned by him, family members, and associates,” said one source.

They have been blinged up and a fortune spent on renovations, extensions, and man caves.

He was a major figure in the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud and is linked to the leaders of the British branch and the Irish branch of the cartel.

In addition to the homes searches, CAB also collected documentation and devices from other properties, including solicitors’, accountants’, estate agents’ and business premises.

A garda statement said that documentation in relation to the ownership of assets, financial documentation, mobile phones, and electronic storage devices was seized.

“Evidence of considerable expenditure on a number of homes in the Dublin area has been obtained, and analysed by an expert on behalf of CAB,” the statement said.

Gardaí also recovered:

• Seven Rolex watches;
• A 152 Nissan X-Trail SUV and a 141 Landrover Discovery;
• A GPS tracker;
• An assortment of designer clothing.

The operation was carried out by CAB, along with the GNDOCB.

They were assisted by the Emergency Response Unit, DMR Armed Support Unit, Kildare Armed Support Unit, District Detective Unit DMR South, the Garda Air Support Unit, and the Garda Dog Unit.

The man arrested is being questioned on suspicion of money laundering by detectives from the GNOCB.