By PAUL O’DONOGHUE, Senior Correspondent
THE UAE (United Arab Emirates) has said the extradition of Daniel Kinahan to Ireland shows that criminals “will not find a haven” in the country.
Hamid Al-Zaabi, the country’s AML chief, said the case should also be viewed in the wider context of the country’s financial crime risks.
“Foreign predicate offences remain an important part of our national financial crime risk profile, including the proceeds generated by the illicit trafficking of narcotics,” he said.
“The UAE will continue working closely with Ireland and partners around the world to ensure that our country cannot be used as a safe haven for the proceeds or perpetrators of serious organised crime.”
Irish authorities accuse Kinahan of leading an organised criminal group and of involvement in murder and illicit trafficking of narcotics. The UAE describes him as one of the most wanted individuals in cases involving transnational organised crime.
UAE Justice Minister Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi and Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan discussed Kinahan’s extradition in a phone call on Sunday.
The Dubai Court of Cassation issued the final ruling under the extradition agreement between the UAE and Ireland, according to a statement from the UAE government.
Kinahan and UAE
It said that the extradition “reflects the UAE and the Republic of Ireland’s shared and unwavering commitment to the rule of law”.
“This decision sends a clear message that perpetrators of serious crimes will not find a haven to evade justice,” the UAE said.
“International cooperation remains the cornerstone of pursuing the most dangerous criminals and bringing them before the courts.”
The Kinahan Cartel is one of Ireland’s most notorious gangs. Previously estimated to be worth over €1 billion, it made much of its money through cocaine smuggling.
Much of the group relocated to Dubai after a gangland attack in Dublin’s Regency Hotel in 2016. Daniel Kinahan spent about a decade living and operating in Dubai, which Irish law-enforcement sources had described as a base for the Kinahan organisation.
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