Who are the Kinahan gang members that have been sanctioned and what does it mean?
Christy Kinahan and Daniel Kinahan.
The UAE government has confirmed that it has been investigating the activities of the Kinahan organised crime gang, together with the US, Ireland, the UK, and Spain.
The assets frozen by the gulf state include all personal and corporate bank accounts belonging to members of the gang.
“The relevant authorities co-operate closely on cases involving foreign elements, in line with the UAE’s international commitments and national legal framework for combating illicit activity,” a UAE government official said.
It follows the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) — a branch of the US Treasury Department — sanctioning several senior members of the organised crime group, referred to in its report and here as the KOCG.
In a statement on the matter, OFAC named seven individuals and three businesses.
Here, we look at the individuals and companies mentioned in the OFAC report, and examine what the ramifications of these unprecedented sanctions may be.
The first individual mentioned is Christopher 'Christy' Vincent Kinahan Senior.
Currently based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), OFAC says he was designated for "acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the KOCG".
OFAC says Mr Kinahan is "demonstrative of a long history of criminality" noting how he "has served prison sentences in Ireland, the Netherlands, and Belgium, including: six years for dealing heroin, two-and-a-half years for possession of cocaine, and four years for money laundering".
During this time, OFAC says, Christy Kinahan built "a list of contacts that grew to what became known as the KOCG".
Lastly, OFAC says his sons, Daniel Kinahan and Christopher Jr, "now manage his drug trafficking operations while Christopher Sr oversees the property portions of the enterprise".
The OFAC report says Christopher Sr has registered a number of companies under aliases or using abbreviations of his name.
The next individual mentioned is Daniel Kinahan.
OFAC notes that he, like his father, is currently based in Dubai.
"Each member of the KOCG reports to Daniel Kinahan, who is believed to run the day-to-day operations of the organization," OFAC said.
It says Daniel Kinahan "has instructed KOCG members to send money to a variety of individuals serving prison sentences, including a person convicted of attempted murder on behalf of the KOCG, and an individual imprisoned for murder on behalf of the KOCG".
Daniel Kinahan also "sources large quantities of cocaine from South America" and "plays an integral part in organizing the supply of drugs in Ireland, and is attempting to facilitate the importation of cocaine into the United Kingdom", according to the OFAC.
The final Kinahan family member named is Christopher Vincent Kinahan Junior (Christopher Jr).
OFAC says he was designated for sanctions for materially "assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the KOCG".
The US says Christopher Jr "regularly contributes to a fund that is used to pay KOCG members".
Additionally, it says Christopher Jr "responds to directives from Daniel Kinahan and has collaborated with other members of the KOCG to transport and sell narcotics in the United Kingdom".
All three named Kinahan family members have been caught travelling with false identity documents, according to OFAC.
Aside from the Kinahan family members, four other associates of the crime group are mentioned by OFAC — Sean Gerard McGovern, Ian Thomas Dixon, Bernard Patrick Clancy, and John Francis Morrissey.
Mr McGovern, OFAC says, is "Daniel Kinahan's advisor and closest confidant" noting that "all dealings with Daniel Kinahan go through Sean McGovern".
It says Mr McGovern was designated for "materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Daniel Kinahan".
Sean McGovern also has managed communications on behalf of Daniel Kinahan, and he sells multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine.
Sean McGovern was shot at the Regency Hotel in 2016.
The next associate mentioned is Ian Thomas Dixon, designated "for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Daniel Kinahan".
OFAC believes Mr Dixon "has arranged multiple payments on behalf of Daniel Kinahan" and has "moved bulk currency on behalf of Daniel Kinahan in Ireland and the United Kingdom".
It also noted that Mr Dixon oversees a fund on behalf of Daniel Kinahan and "keeps track of money owed by a narcotics trafficker".
Bernard Patrick Clancy is mentioned as being "a key KOCG lieutenant, who is tasked by Daniel Kinahan with "providing wages to elements within the KOCG and payments to others".
OFAC says Mr Clancy has been designated "for materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the KOCG".
The final associate mentioned by OFAC is Irish national John Francis Morrissey, designated for "materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the KOCG".
OFAC says John Morrissey has worked for the KOCG "for several years" including as "an enforcer".
It says he "facilitates international drug shipments for the organization from South America" and is also involved in money laundering activities.
OFAC says that, like the Kinahan family members mentioned, Sean Gerard McGovern, Ian Thomas Dixon, and Bernard Patrick Clancy are all based in Dubai. John Francis Morrissey is said to be currently based in Spain.
Three companies associated with the Kinahan gang are also singled out by OFAC.
Nero Drinks Company Limited (Nero Drinks) is a UK-based alcoholic beverage company believed to be owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, John Morrissey.
Mr Morrissey, who outwardly serves as the Nero Drinks’ brand ambassador, is said to be heavily invested in Nero Drinks and "has given a significant portion of the business to Daniel Kinahan to compensate for loads of drugs seized by law enforcement".
The next company mentioned is Hoopoe Sports LLC (Hoopoe Sports), a UAE-based sports management and advisory company.
On its website, boxers Billy Joe Saunders, Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan and Hughie Fury are listed as clients.
There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the fighters.
Hoopoe Sports was designated for sanctions by OFAC "for being owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, Ian Dixon".
OFCA says Mr Dixon is a 49% shareholder who receives "80% of Hoopoe Sports’ profits".
The third and final company included in OFAC's report is Ducashew General Trading LLC (Ducashew), a UAE-based business management consulting company.
OFAC says Ducashew is "owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, Daniel Kinahan" who runs it "through various individuals and is involved in its financial and business management".
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is a financial intelligence and enforcement agency of the United States Treasury Department.
Essentially, it administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions in support of US national security.
OFAC also carries out its activities against foreign states as well as a variety of other organisations like terrorist groups, criminal organisations and other individuals deemed to be a threat to the US.
Founded in 1950 and described by the as one of the "most powerful yet unknown" government agencies, OFAC has the power to levy significant penalties against entities that defy its directives, including imposing fines, freezing assets, and barring parties from operating in the United States.
In short, OFAC now sees the Kinahan as a threat to US national security, meaning it will no longer be easy for them to do any business using US dollars — the most widely used currency in international transactions.
The sanctions mean all property and interests in property of the designated individuals or entities that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons "must be blocked and reported to OFAC".
And "property" in this case does not mean just business premises and houses.
According to the US Code of Federal Regulations "property" in this context can mean a host of other things, including but not limited to: money, cheques, drafts, bullion, bank deposits, savings accounts, debts, obligations stocks, bonds, bankers acceptances, mortgages, trust receipts, bills of sale, any other evidences of title, ownership, or indebtedness, letters of credit goods, wares, merchandise, chattels, stocks on hand, ships, goods on ships, real estate mortgages, deeds of trust, vendors' sales agreements, land contracts, leaseholds, ground rents, and real estate.
And it may not just be the US where the Kinahan gang's businesses take a hit.
Often, where OFAC leads, other international financial intelligence agencies will follow, meaning the Kinahan gang may end up on the sanctions list of other countries in the near future.
Even if other nations decide not to sanction the Kinahan crime group directly, they may be more hesitant to permit them to do business in their country solely due to the optics of being seen to have dealings with a group sanctioned by OFAC.
Henceforth, anywhere the Kinahan organised crime group does business with a financial institution, red flags will be generated.
All in all, these sanctions mean it will no longer be business as usual for the Kinahan gang.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
