Dubai police arrest alleged Irish crime figure Daniel Kinahan after joint probe
April 17 — Daniel Joseph Kinahan, an Irish man accused of laundering money and trafficking drugs and firearms throughout Europe, was arrested in Dubai on Wednesday following a joint international investigation, according to a statement from law enforcement in the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai police said the detention was part of efforts to combat cross-border crime and followed the receipt of a judicial file from Irish authorities detailing Kinahan’s alleged offenses and his involvement in an international criminal organization.
Officials from both Ireland and the UAE said the arrest reflects work in recent years to rein in “serious and organized crime.” Kinahan is described as one of the leaders of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group and the founder of the MTK Global boxing management company.
He was also being pursued by U.S. authorities and was “believed to run the day-to-day operations” of the cartel, the Biden administration said when it announced sanctions against the group in 2022. Authorities in Dubai issued an arrest warrant after receiving information from Irish counterparts as part of a broader operation between the two countries aimed at curbing criminal enterprises operating in or through their jurisdictions.
Irish law enforcement had traced Kinahan around the world, noting the use of false identities and other methods to avoid detection, and he was detained within 48 hours of the UAE warrant being issued, according to the statement.