- Daniel Kinahan is being extradited from Dubai to Dublin on charges of directing a criminal organisation
- The Irish government jet left Dubai at 1:19 pm and will land in Dublin before 7 pm Sunday
- Kinahan will appear at Ireland's Special Criminal Court shortly after arrival in Dublin
The Irish government jet carrying suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan has left Dubai for Dublin, where he is expected to face charges of directing a criminal organisation. The 49-year-old was arrested in the United Arab Emirates in April and is now being extradited to the Republic of Ireland.
According to flight tracking data, the plane carrying Kinahan left Dubai at 1:19 pm local time and is expected to land in Dublin before 7 pm on Sunday, as reported by the BBC.
Kinahan will be charged immediately after arriving in Dublin. He will then be taken by Ireland's police force, the Gardaí, to the Special Criminal Court, where he is expected to appear on Sunday evening.
Ahead of the extradition, the Irish Prison Service bought a vehicle that is both bulletproof and bombproof. The vehicle also has reinforced doors, a two-stage entry and exit system, tamper-proof fuel and suspension systems, and tyres that can continue running even after being damaged.
A similar arrangement was used last year when Sean McGovern, described as Kinahan's right-hand man, was extradited from Dubai, according to Ireland's Classic Hits Radio.
Kinahan has been held in custody in Dubai since his arrest on April 17. He recently lost his final appeal against extradition. Irish authorities have increased security at prisons and during prisoner transfers ahead of his arrival.
His arrest followed a Garda investigation into organised crime. Irish prosecutors later directed that he be charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation, and an Irish court issued a warrant for his arrest.
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan has said he was in direct contact with authorities in the UAE and thanked them for their cooperation.
The Kinahan cartel is an international organised crime group that has been linked to drug trafficking, firearms and murders.
According to the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), the group has been involved in importing large amounts of drugs and guns for more than 20 years. The agency has also linked the group to more than a dozen gangland murders, as reported by the BBC.
Former Irish police chief Drew Harris said the group is estimated to have made more than €1 billion from its criminal activities around the world.
In 2022, the US government announced a reward of up to $5 million for information that could lead to the arrest or conviction of Kinahan and other senior members of the cartel, including Daniel Kinahan, his father Christopher Kinahan Sr and his brother Christopher Kinahan Jr.
