Ireland’s new extradition treaty with the UAE means it is “game, set and almost match” against the Kinahans, a leading crime expert has said. 

Last week, Sean McGovern, who is believed to be a senior member of the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang, was arrested in Dubai. 

Other senior members of the organisation are believed to be living in the UAE and crime journalist Paul Williams said they would be “sweating profusely”. 

“If we were writing the book on it, we would say this is another chapter with the title ‘Gamechanger’,” he told The Hard Shoulder. 

“We’ve said that on many occasions over the past few years - especially since the Americans got involved in the hunt for the Kinahan gang back in 2022.” 

The marina in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is seen in March 2012. Picture by: Jan Wlodarczyk / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Williams said the decision of the US Treasury to announce sanctions against members of the Kinhan gang had really “focused the minds” in the UAE on the case. 

“The fact that Ireland is in a position to sign an extradition treaty next week is game, set and almost match,” he said. 

“It means that clearly the UAE authorities who were [previously] accused - and quite rightly - of ambiguity in relation to this… have clearly, by signing this piece of paper next week, they’re clearly telling the Kinahans and all of their associates that you aren’t going to live here for the rest of your lives. 

“We are prepared to extradite you - it’s huge.” 

Contingency plans

Mr Williams described Dubai as the Kinhans’ “last bastion” but predicted they will have a backup plan. 

“They’ve huge resources, they’re one of the most powerful people on the planet,” he said. 

“Of course, they have contingency plans, of course, they have been preparing for this and developing a strategy around this. 

“But the cold hard facts are this - where are they going to go? They can go to maybe North Korea but it wouldn’t be much fun there.

“They could go maybe to Iran, maybe to Russia.” 

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said there can be “no hiding place anywhere in the world for criminals.”

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Main image: Daniel Kinahan.