79 senior members of Kinahan cartel already convicted

Garda Comissioner Drew Harris speaking at Dublin City Hall after it was announced that the US government is offering $5m for information on the Kinahan crime gang. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Almost 80 senior members and associates of the Kinahan crime cartel have been convicted by gardaí in the last five years.

Law enforcement chiefs from Ireland, Britain, and the US yesterday pledged that their international investigations into the Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG) will not end until the network is “dismantled”.

At a major event in Dublin’s City Hall yesterday, US authorities gave details of financial sanctions against the leadership of the cartel and three businesses linked to them.

The sanctions — issued by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) — direct that any property or interests in property in the US or in control of US people linked to those targeted must be blocked. In addition, any transactions regarding property with the targets are prohibited.

For the first time, Garda Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll gave specific details on domestic operations against the cartel to date:

• 79 members and associates of the cartel have received convictions since 2016;
• 46 ‘threat to life’ operations were conducted, resulting in 22 charges of attempted murder;
• 17 convictions for drug trafficking, involving drugs worth almost €20m;
• €7.5m in cash seized, with 17 people convicted for money laundering;
• 13 convictions for firearm offences.

In addition, the Criminal Assets Bureau continues to target the cartel, and last week seized a luxury home in Dublin with the High Court hearing of financial transactions worth €4.5m involving cartel members.

Mr O’Driscoll said estimates have put the cartel’s wealth at around €1bn.

In relation to the Kinahan leadership, OFAC said cartel founder Christopher Sr oversees the “property portions” of the cartel, while Daniel Kinahan runs all operations. It said “each member” of the cartel reports to Daniel Kinahan.

It said Christopher Jr “regularly contributes” to a fund used to pay KOCG members, and responds to Daniel’s directives.

Sean McGovern, one of the four associates named in the sanctions, is described by Ofac as Daniel Kinahan’s “adviser and close confidant”. It said there is evidence indicating that “all dealings with Daniel Kinahan” go through him. He manages communications and sells large amounts of cocaine.

The other associates are:

• John Morrisey, who “facilitates international drug shipments from South America” and acts as an enforcer. He is the only one of the seven based in Spain rather than Dubai;
• Ian Dixon, described as responsible for payments on behalf of Daniel Kinahan and the transfer of money;
• Bernard Clancy, who provides payments to elements within the cartel.

Mr O’Driscoll said that a European arrest warrant has been issued for Mr McGovern in relation to murder.

It means that if McGovern is identified in Europe, there is a warrant to surrender him to Ireland to face charges.

Speaking at the event, US ambassador Claire Cronin announced “a series of actions” the US, UK, and Ireland were taking jointly “to counter to Kinahan transnational criminal organisation”.

In addition to the sanctions, this included a €5m reward by the US State Department for information leading to the arrest of each of the three Kinahan leaders or disruption of the cartel.

Mr O’Driscoll said his plan for many years has been to dismantle the organisation at all levels.

Mr Harris said that when he took over in 2018, Mr O’Driscoll briefed him on the plan, which he was advancing with law enforcement in US, UK, and the EU to tackle the cartel here and internationally.

The deputy director of investigations at the UK National Crime Agency, Matt Horne, said OFAC’s moves has left the cartel’s “bank accounts frozen and funds inaccessible” and that they have been “effectively cut off from the global financial system”.

The NCA, assisted by Gardaí, successfully prosecuted the head of the British branch of the KOCG, Dubliner Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh, who was sentenced to 21 years two weeks ago.

Assistant Commissioner O’Driscoll said US agencies that took part in the investigation included the Department of State, the Department of Treasury’s Ofac, the US Drug Enforcement Agency, and Customs Border Protection.