Suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan returning to Ireland in high-security operation

Suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan returning to Ireland in high-security operation The 49‑year‑old Daniel Kinahan departed Dubai on a flight that left at 13:19 local time and is scheduled to arrive in Dublin before 19:00 local time on Sunday. He was taken into custody by United Arab Emirates authorities in April and is being extradited to the Republic of Ireland to answer a complaint alleging he directed a criminal organisation. Upon landing, Kinahan will be charged immediately and then escorted by Gardaí to appear before the non‑jury, three‑judge Special Criminal Court later that evening. A large‑scale security operation is underway; the Irish Prison Service has acquired a bullet‑proof and bomb‑proof vehicle specifically for transporting high‑risk prisoners. Irish officials intend to prosecute him for his alleged role in leading an organised crime group. The United States Treasury previously labelled the Kinahan cartel as one of the world’s most dangerous organisations and imposed sanctions on Kinahan in April 2022 after he and several relatives were identified as its leaders. Kinahan resisted extradition efforts to his native Ireland, where the Kinahan cartel was implicated in a prolonged gangland feud that resulted in 18 deaths. He became a target for assassination and survived an attempt on his life during a fatal shooting at a Dublin hotel in 2016. After fleeing Ireland, he lived in Spain before moving to Dubai, where Irish courts issued a warrant for his arrest in April. He appealed the extradition order over the past several months, but those appeals were unsuccessful.