Extradition of leading Kinahan crime gang figure 'a significant development', senior garda says
The extradition of one of the most senior members of the Kinahan crime gang back to Ireland is a "significant development" in disrupting and dismantling international organised crime gangs, one of the country's most senior gardaí has said.
Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon said securing the return of Sean McGovern, considered to be the right-hand man of cartel leader Daniel Kinahan, from the United Arab Emirates was the result of 'extensive' cooperation and 'highly detailed and intricate investigative work' with other international law enforcement agencies.
The senior garda said international gangs cause misery to communities across the globe.
"They engage in murder, human trafficking and drug dealing,' she said.
Tackling these gangs not only makes Ireland safer, but all the other countries they operate in as well.
Sean McGovern had been in custody in the Middle East for the past seven months. He is wanted by gardaí in relation to the killing of Noel Kirwan in December 2016 during a period of heightened hostilities between the Kinahan and Hutch drug gangs.
The UAE extradition treaty was signed last October by then minister for justice Helen McEntee, and officially went live 10 days ago.
Ms Coxon said she was 'constrained' to an extent in what she could say given the extradition operation was still live.
However, she commended the work of the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Justice, together with the Director of Public Prosecutions and also praised the Emirati minister of justice operating within the UAE Abdullah Bin Sultan Bin Awad Al Nuaimi, commenting 'police-to-police cooperation globally is critical to the dismantling of organised crime'.
Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan said the negotiation of the extradition treaty had resulted from 'tireless work by An Garda Síochána and officials in my own department with their UAE counterparts'.
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