Veteran gangland figure Jo Jo Kavanagh dies suddenly at home
Veteran gangland figure Jo Jo Kavanagh has died after being treated for an illness in a Dublin hospital.
A former member of the gang led by Martin 'The General' Cahill, he was an uncle of jailed Kinahan Cartel man Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh.
He was also an uncle to murdered gangsters Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh (pictured below) and Paul Kavanagh, believed to have been killed on the orders of the Kinahans.
A notice posted online said that Kavanagh had died suddenly at home on July 2.
It stated the funeral was private for family and close friends.
Kavanagh, from Crumlin, became notorious after his role in the infamous tiger-kidnap of bank director Jim Lacey by The General's gang.
Gerard Kavanagh
Armed and masked men took Lacey and members of his family hostage after invading his Blackrock home in November 1993.
Threatened with being shot, the banker's wife Suzanne, children and a babysitter were held as Mr Lacey was forced to carry out the gang's orders.
Jo Jo Kavanagh turned up at the house and changed into one of the victim's suits and told him that he was also a hostage.
Jo Jo Kavanagh was an uncle of Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh
Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 6th
His job was to accompany the bank director to the branch at College Green the next morning and to take the available cash.
It later emerged there was an estimated €7 to €8 million in the vaults of the National Irish Bank branch.
Fearing being trapped in the vaults if the Gardaí had been alerted, Kavanagh did not venture in to inspect it, missing out on what would have been the biggest ever heist in Ireland at the time.
He took £243,000 punts from the branch manager and loaded it into his van before driving away with members of the Lacey family later found in a stable near the Phoenix Park.
Jo Jo Kavanagh would later tell gardaí that he had been kidnapped and forced to carry out the gang's demands, handing over the money to a motorcyclist.
Gardaí did not believe his story and, given his previous convictions for armed robbery, he became a suspect.
The following January Kavanagh was shot in the leg when he said he was confronted by masked men who asked why he hadn't taken all the money from the bank.
When asked by Evening Herald reporter Brendan Farrelly, if he had staged the shooting, Kavanagh denied it.
He served seven years of a 12-year sentence and emerged from prison in 2003 when it was reported he was no longer involved in crime.
Other members of his extended family remained involved in gang activity, as organised criminals switched from heists to hard drugs.
His nephew Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh, a Criminal Assets Bureau target in the mid 1990s, rose to become the Kinahan Cartel's number one man in the UK.
Hie is serving a 21-year sentence for a multi-million-euro cocaine smuggling plot and got another conviction over a bid to hide weapons for the police to find in return for leniency.
Jo Jo Kavanagh's nephews, brothers Gerard 'Hatchet' and Paul Kavanagh were also high- profile gangsters involved in the drugs trade linked to the Kinahan Cartel.
'Hatchet' Kavanagh was murdered in Spain in 2014 while Paul died in 2015 after being shot in Drumcondra after being lured to a meeting.
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Sunday World
3 hours ago
- Sunday World
Veteran gangland figure Jo Jo Kavanagh dies suddenly at home
A former member of the gang led by Martin 'The General' Cahill, he was an uncle of jailed Kinahan Cartel man Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh Veteran gangland figure Jo Jo Kavanagh has died after being treated for an illness in a Dublin hospital. A former member of the gang led by Martin 'The General' Cahill, he was an uncle of jailed Kinahan Cartel man Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh. He was also an uncle to murdered gangsters Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh (pictured below) and Paul Kavanagh, believed to have been killed on the orders of the Kinahans. A notice posted online said that Kavanagh had died suddenly at home on July 2. It stated the funeral was private for family and close friends. Kavanagh, from Crumlin, became notorious after his role in the infamous tiger-kidnap of bank director Jim Lacey by The General's gang. Gerard Kavanagh Armed and masked men took Lacey and members of his family hostage after invading his Blackrock home in November 1993. Threatened with being shot, the banker's wife Suzanne, children and a babysitter were held as Mr Lacey was forced to carry out the gang's orders. Jo Jo Kavanagh turned up at the house and changed into one of the victim's suits and told him that he was also a hostage. Jo Jo Kavanagh was an uncle of Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 6th His job was to accompany the bank director to the branch at College Green the next morning and to take the available cash. It later emerged there was an estimated €7 to €8 million in the vaults of the National Irish Bank branch. Fearing being trapped in the vaults if the Gardaí had been alerted, Kavanagh did not venture in to inspect it, missing out on what would have been the biggest ever heist in Ireland at the time. He took £243,000 punts from the branch manager and loaded it into his van before driving away with members of the Lacey family later found in a stable near the Phoenix Park. Jo Jo Kavanagh would later tell gardaí that he had been kidnapped and forced to carry out the gang's demands, handing over the money to a motorcyclist. Gardaí did not believe his story and, given his previous convictions for armed robbery, he became a suspect. The following January Kavanagh was shot in the leg when he said he was confronted by masked men who asked why he hadn't taken all the money from the bank. When asked by Evening Herald reporter Brendan Farrelly, if he had staged the shooting, Kavanagh denied it. He served seven years of a 12-year sentence and emerged from prison in 2003 when it was reported he was no longer involved in crime. Other members of his extended family remained involved in gang activity, as organised criminals switched from heists to hard drugs. His nephew Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh, a Criminal Assets Bureau target in the mid 1990s, rose to become the Kinahan Cartel's number one man in the UK. Hie is serving a 21-year sentence for a multi-million-euro cocaine smuggling plot and got another conviction over a bid to hide weapons for the police to find in return for leniency. Jo Jo Kavanagh's nephews, brothers Gerard 'Hatchet' and Paul Kavanagh were also high- profile gangsters involved in the drugs trade linked to the Kinahan Cartel. 'Hatchet' Kavanagh was murdered in Spain in 2014 while Paul died in 2015 after being shot in Drumcondra after being lured to a meeting.
Sunday World
5 hours ago
- Sunday World
Hezbollah funded record €157m Cork coke haul on MV Matthew
Kinahans collaborated with Islamic group to organise botched smuggling bid Dramatic footage of the major operation involving the Army Rangers, Customs, Gardaí, and the Navy was released on Saturday showing how they successfully boarded and captured the drugs ship as part of a joint operation. A record 2.2 tonnes of cocaine, worth around €157m, was seized on the ship off the coast of Cork after the dramatic operation which saw Army Rangers abseil onto the vessel after a Navy warship fired warning shots and gave pursuit off the coast southwest Ireland in September 2023. Drugs found on the MV Matthew Garda Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis confirmed yesterday that the Kinahan Organised Crime Group were being investigated in relation to the seizure. 'It would be reasonable to assume they would be one of a number of organised crime groups that would be involved in something of this nature.' Sources said the Kinahans are believed to have worked with multiple organised crimes groups, including a Scottish-based mob, European gangs, Iranian criminals and even terror organisation Hezbollah in organising the drugs shipment which was sourced from Clan de Golfo drug cartel in Colombia. Two Iranian men convicted this week over the haul are understood to have links to Hezbollah and the court was told there was a 'major Iranian nexus' to the operation. Sources also said there were indications of links between criminals involved in the plot and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a feared branch of the Iranian army. Officials refused to comment on any involvement of terror groups or state actors at a press conference in Haulbowline Naval Base in Cork on Saturday. While the Kinahan Cartel's Irish arm has taken major blows, it still operates on a global level and has made new alliances in recent years. Gang boss Daniel Kinahan David Caunter, director of Interpol's emerging crime directorate, told the Sunday World that the Kinahans were in the top tier of organised crime groups on Interpol's radar. 'I would say they are a top criminal organisation at the top level.' He said that he believes the heads of the cartel will be brought to justice. 'I think the arrest of Sean McGovern and extradition back here sends a clear message to organised crime that the reach extends across borders.' Asked if he felt Daniel Kinahan and other top players would eventually face justice, he said he was 'optimistic'. He added that the so-called super-cartel – which involved the Kinahans, the Balkan Tito and Dino Clan, Italian mafia boss Raffaele Imperiale and Dutch Moroccan trafficker, Ridouan Taghi – has now evolved after numerous senior figures were arrested and new alliances were formed globally. 'I think it continues to evolve. These cartels are very resilient. They are looking for new ways to get their drugs to market. It's changing. Drugs found on the MV Matthew 'They are looking to develop partnerships in parts of the world where they hadn't necessarily developed these partnerships before… that global connection is quite strong. 'The local traffickers may not understand that they are just a piece of this larger transnational global crime picture.' Read more 'We know that especially in the Middle East we have seen some connections down in South America between these organised crime groups and this case shows there are strong linkages.' He said that nowhere was safe for organised crime groups such as the Kinahans and their international partners. 'We will find you and bring you to justice,' he warned. He said he could not comment on any potential Hezbollah links but added: 'You do see how drug trafficking has become a national security issue. These criminal groups are quite strong and have unlimited resources. With that you're going to see that blending between various actors.' Busted: Soheil Jelveh (52) Busted: Cumali Ozgen (50) Busted: Vitaliy Vlasoi (33) He said Ireland was an obvious entry point into Europe to smuggle drugs because it is an island with a lot of coastline. Attempts to smuggle drugs by sea into Ireland escalated in recent years after clampdowns in European ports used by smugglers in the Netherlands and other jurisdictions. Gangs, including the Kinahans, have now turned their focus towards west Africa as an entry point smuggling route for drugs destined for Europe. Assistant Commissioner Willis said people like those sentenced this week were dispensable to cartels. 'Transnational organised crime gangs know no borders; they prey on people's vulnerability for their own financial gain. People are expendable who are no longer of use to the criminal organisation. Life is cheap and protecting their core criminal interest which is money is key priority.' She said anyone who consumes drugs is funding these criminal organisations and 'directly linked to the misery and suffering' those gangs inflict on communities. While the haul was organised in the Kinahans' current base in the UAE, gardaí have also identified Irish-based criminals as part of further investigations following the seizure. 'The next phase of the operation is to look at the peripheral involvement of other people here in Ireland and abroad, and that phase has now commenced and that will also include looking at asset recovery of those people.' Busted: Harold Estoesta (31) Busted: Saeid Hassani (39) The dramatic video of the joint operation to take down the MV Matthew included messages and voice notes from a United Arab Emirates criminal with links to Hezbollah describing himself as Captain Noah, who was urging the crew not to panic even after authorities have engaged with them. However, he later said he was close to a 'heart attack' as the Navy gave pursuit and eventually ordered the crew to burn the drugs when he realised they were going to be stormed. Assistant Commissioner Willis said authorities believe Captain Noah is still alive and operating in the Middle East. Members of Army Ranger Wing stormed and captured the vessel in less than 10 minutes and the Irish Naval Service fired warning shots after the vessel failed to stop and tried to sail away destined for Sierra Leone. On Friday, eight men received prison sentences combing 129 years in relation to the seizure. Six men pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on board the MV Matthew between September 24 and 26 2023. Dutch national Cumali Ozgen (49), who was described as the 'eyes and ears of the criminal organisation' on board the vessel, received a sentence of 20 years, while the second officer, Filipino Harold Estoesta (31) received a sentence of 18 years. The captain of the vessel, Iranian Soheil Jelveh (51) received 17-and-a-half years in prison. Ukrainian nationals Vitaliy Vlasoi (33) received a 16-and-a-half-year sentence and Mykhailo Gavryk (32) received 14 years' imprisonment. Irish Army Rangers abseiling down to the MV Matthew before seizing the ship Footage as eight men jailed for involvement in Ireland's largest drugs haul Saeid Hassani (40), who was the third officer, received a 15-year sentence. Two other men, who were on the boat, the Castlemore , that had been purchased in Castletownbere to collect drugs from the main vessel, were also sentenced for attempting to possess cocaine for sale or supply. Ukrainian national Vitaliy Lapa (62), with an address at Rudenka, Repina Str in Berdyansk, received a sentence of 14-and-a-half years. Jamie Harbron (31), of South Avenue, Billingham in the UK, received a sentence of 13-and-a-half years in prison. The company who bought the MV Matthew cargo ship set up a website just six weeks before the seizure, with servers based in the United Arab Emirates boasting how their 'extensive network of partners and port authorities allow us to efficiently navigate through various regions'. Busted: Jamie Harbron (31) Busted: Vitaliy Lapa (62) The ship, which flew under the Panama flag, was purchased by the newly formed company Matthew Maritime just six weeks before the seizure. It was called the MV Honmon before its name was changed to the MV Matthew while it was travelling through the Caribbean from Aruba to Willemstad in Curaçao. Matthew Maritime is headquartered in the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific Ocean and shares an address with several shipping companies who have been placed under international sanctions for a variety of reasons. Matthew Maritime claimed that the company has carried out 1,000 deliveries on 1,216 voyages to 100 international ports despite the fact the company itself was only set up in July. The MV Matthew is also the only ship that Matthew Maritime owned and it had not made 1,216 voyages. The website for Matthew Maritime was also only set up in July 2023 and remains online makes various claims about the firm which do not seem to match up with a company with one ship that was only set up a few months previously. They describe the company as having 'a strong industry legacy and a worldwide presence'. 'We specialize in managing bulk carrier vessels with precision and expertise, ensuring the smooth and secure transportation of dry cargo across the globe. 'Our unwavering dedication to quality, environmental stewardship, and advanced technology distinguishes us as the go-to choice for clients seeking seamless shipping solutions and profitable ventures in the maritime domain. Come aboard as we chart a course towards prosperity and sustainability together.' The movements of the MV Matthew in the run-up to the seizure had raised suspicions with various authorities. It travelled through various stops in the Caribbean, including the island of Curaçao, before heading to Georgetown in Guyana in South America. It picked up cargo before sailing across the Atlantic to Morocco and on towards Irish waters. While it initially listed its next destination as Gdansk in Poland this was changed to Belfast mid-journey. Matthew Maritime did not make any attempt to claim the MV Matthew in the almost two years since it was stormed by the Defence Forces and seized by the State. It emerged yesterday that a potential buyer has now been found for the vessel.
Irish Independent
10 hours ago
- Irish Independent
From the Kerry archives, July 7, 2000: Courtroom fight, Ballybunion runs out of beer & Kelly talks GAA Presidency
Brawl breaks out in Tralee courtroom A mass brawl erupted in Tralee District Court on Wednesday morning moments after four defendants, including a 15-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were sentenced for their involvement in a high speed car chase through the town during which a Garda patrol vehicle was rammed. The incident appeared to be sparked when a woman who had been sitting in the public gallery attacked the girl, who had been the only defendant not to receive a custodial sentence. Within seconds, between 12 and 15 members of the public were fighting, with punches being thrown as people climbed over the court benches to join in the fracas. In the midst of the melee, the girl was pushed or struck to the ground. As the rest of the courtroom looked on in amazement, five Gardaí attempted to restore order. At least one man involved in the fight tried unsuccessfully to punch a Garda. One man was arrested as a result of the incident. As he was handcuffed and led away, he shouted-obscenities at both the legal system and the Gardai who he accused of trying to lynch him. When the fighting broke out, Judge Humphrey Kelleher immediately left the courtroom. The case, which arose out of an incident in the early hours of Wednesday morning, had earlier been described as extremely serious by prosecuting Inspector Barry O'Rourke, who said that it was part of the current rash of car thefts plaguing Tralee. Ballybunion runs out of beer during Irish Open Bring back the Murphy's Irish Open as soon as possible! That was the unanimous verdict this week from Ballybunion's business community — particularly its publicans, many of whom ran out of beer on Saturday night as thousands of thirsty punters thronged the North Kerry resort over the weekend. Ballybunion's debut as host club for the 2000 Irish Open was widely regarded as a resounding success. Murphy's Managing Director, Padraic Liston, declared it 'the best ever' as he handed the winner's trophy to 29-year-old Swedish golfer Patrik Sjöland beside the 18th green on Sunday afternoon. Already, the business people of the town have declared that they want the tournament back within the next few years. But committee member Fintan Scannell said the club must wait until agronomist Tom Kavanagh assesses what damage was done to the course by the estimated 40,000 spectators who followed the tournament over four days. Chairman of Ballybunion Development Company Kevin O'Callaghan said everyone involved in the tournament, particularly the Gardaí, who drew up an excellent traffic plan, could take a bow this weekend. "Ballybunion has proven itself now and there is no reason why we couldn't host another major golf tournament in the future," he said. A spectacular fireworks display and a street theatre production on Saturday night brough thousands of people into the town after the day's golf. Treasurer of the local vinter association, John Dee, said it was the biggest weekend the town had experienced in over thirty years. "I've never seen anything like the crowds. We had run out of cider, Budweiser and Heineken on Saturday night and so did other pubs. From a vintners point of view, we'd love to have it back. Fintan Scannell said the golf club may now set its sights on hosting the next Walker Cup in 2005. Kelly to seek GAA Presidency Kerry's Sean Kelly, current chairman of the Munster Council confirmed to The Kerryman on Wednesday that he would be allowing his name go forward for Presidency of the GAA in two years time. Mr Kelly, who withdrew from the race last year in order to give former Minister Council chairman Noel Walsh a 'free run', said that upon withdrawing from the race then, he had indicated that it was his intention to run for the Presidency next time round. "Once I am nominated by the Kerry County Board, I will be going for the Presidency," he said. "We have never had a Kerry President of the Association and if I'm nominated, I will be making an all-out effort to be elected. The nomination is not due to come up for another year but it's fairly well accepted that I would run.'
