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Irish Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Fall of House of Kinahan? Dubai no longer criminal safe haven after Sean McGovern extradition
Sean McGovern was whisked away from the Special Criminal Court in Dublin's north inner city on Thursday night, destined for a cell in Portlaoise Prison, following his extradition from the UAE . The Republic's only maximum security jail will be his home at least until he goes on trial. The regime in Portlaoise couldn't be much further from the high-roller lifestyle he has enjoyed in the sunshine of Dubai in recent years. His liberty is gone, at least for now; displaced by a dreary life behind high prison walls run on a strict timetable set by prison staff. The State alleges his Dubai lifestyle was derived from organised crime. And in the name of reaching for the top of that world, it is alleged McGovern murdered one man, conspired to murder another, and directed and enhanced the activities of an organised crime group. It will be up to the trial judges of the juryless Special Criminal Court to decide, probably later this year, if McGovern is guilty of any of the five charges, the most serious of which is murder. If convicted of the Kinahan-Hutch feud gun murder of Christopher 'Noel' Kirwan (62) in Clondalkin, Dublin, in 2016 , McGovern would face a mandatory life term of between 20 and 30 years. READ MORE However, he enjoys the presumption of innocence. The charges against him are no more than allegations. At Thursday's evening sitting of the Special Criminal Court, barrister Olan Callanan, for McGovern, said his client was reserving his position in relation to the 'lawfulness of his arrest' and the jurisdiction of the court. The 39-year-old Dubliner – originally from Drimnagh – and father of two is the first alleged member of the Kinahan cartel to be arrested in Dubai. He is also the first Irish person ever extradited to the Republic from UAE, where the authorities have historically been unwilling to co-operate with western countries in law enforcement matters. This is all uncharted legal territory. Asked by the media on Thursday evening what McGovern's extradition may mean for other Irish fugitives based in Dubai, Acting Garda Commissioner Shawna Coxon said his was 'a precedence-setting case'. Though she didn't say, everyone knows that 'precedence' is all about the Dubai-based Kinahans; cartel founder Christy Kinahan snr and his two sons, Daniel and Christopher jnr . Sean McGovern. Photograph: Garda The UAE authorities' willingness to assist Ireland by arresting McGovern in Dubai last year, agreeing to his extradition this week and having since signed a permanent extradition treaty with the Republic appears to clear the way for the Kinahans to follow on. However, one crucial piece of the puzzle is missing. Suspects can only be extradited from one country to another for the purpose of going on trial. And the charges must be serious. Extraditions cannot be sought for the purpose of arresting a suspect for questioning, or to otherwise aid an ongoing inquiry. The investigation into them must be completed, with charges approved by the DPP, as they were in relation to McGovern more than three years ago. At present, no charges have been approved in Ireland, or in any other country, against the Kinahans. That is why they are living openly in Dubai. It is not a case of the authorities, in Dubai or Ireland being unable to find the Kinahans to arrest them. Dubai police know exactly where they are. But no police force has come up with evidence against them strong enough to base serious criminal charges on. Three years have passed since the US joined Ireland's fight against the Kinahans, offering rewards of $5 million for information that would lead to their arrest and conviction. But nothing has emerged to suggest anyone with strong incriminating evidence to offer up has come forward. Against that background, is McGovern's extradition really going to keep the Kinahans awake at night? A number of Garda sources pointed to the fact files had been submitted to the DPP recommending charges against them. The Irish Times revealed almost two years ago that a file had been sent to the DPP for consideration after an investigation into the Kinahans, including for directing organised crime in Ireland. A file is also with the DPP in relation to the 2016 Kinahan-Hutch feud murder of Eddie Hutch . A group of men are under suspicion for a range of offences, from murder to more minor crimes that supported the murder conspiracy. Daniel Kinahan is one of those men. [ DPP directions still awaited on Eddie Hutch snr murder case, coroner's court told Opens in new window ] Many Garda members believe the legality of McGovern's arrest and extradition will be tested in the Special Criminal Court. If the extradition arrangements between UAE and Ireland are put under pressure, and withstand that legal test, the Kinahans will be next, they suggest. It remains to be seen if future events will unfold as neatly as hoped. Former Garda assistant commissioner Michael O'Sullivan said the extradition of McGovern and that of the Kinahans' once Dubai-based close allies demonstrated the UAE was no longer the safe haven it was once regarded. Dutch Moroccan Ridouan Taghi (47) and Italian Raffaele Imperiale (50) were members of the European super cartel, alongside Daniel Kinahan, controlling almost a third of Europe's cocaine market. In recent years they have been extradited or deported from Dubai and jailed in the Netherlands and Italy. [ Kinahan cartel member Sean McGovern charged with murder following extradition from Dubai Opens in new window ] O'Sullivan, the former head of the Garda's drug squad, said the UAE had now undergone a 'change of heart' around its willingness to extradite major criminal figures, under pressure from the US and because it was keen to enhance its global reputation. Although the Kinahans could relocate to other countries with no extradition treaty with Ireland, O'Sullivan wonders how likely, or easy, that would be. 'If the Americans lean on a given country and say 'we want this guy back' ... short of Putin (in Russia), nobody will say 'no, you can't'. And even with Putin ... he has exchanged people in the past.' O'Sullivan points to the case of Viktor Bout , a Russian arms dealer who was jailed in the US in 2011 after conviction on charges, including conspiring to kill US citizens. He has been accused of supplying arms to al-Qaeda, the Taliban and rebels in Rwanda. Sentenced to 25 years in the US in 2011, he was freed in 2022 in exchange for the release of US star basketball player Brittney Griner . She had been arrested in Moscow airport in 2022 when cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her bag. O'Sullivan said if the Kinahans fled Dubai and relocated to another country, especially one on the fringes of the international community, they could become fodder for an international deal that country may want to put in place, especially with the US, in the next few years. [ Ireland's post-Kinahan drugs trade: Names and faces change but methods remain all too familiar Opens in new window ] 'They're in Dubai for a reason. For them it's been a civilised, wealthy place to do business, and with no extradition. It's western-style, with all the comforts of home and the sunshine. It has everything going for it. What's the next step for the Kinahans, 'let's move to Botswana'? Well, see how they get on with that, bringing your kids up there, what quality of life would you have there?' John O'Brien, a retired Garda detective chief superintendent, was head of the 'international liaison protection section' of the Garda and national head of Interpol and Europol. He believes with the comfort blanket of the UAE's former extradition-shy status now whipped away, and some of their key allies extradited, the Kinahans will 'try to relocate to a friendlier jurisdiction'. 'But there are very few of those places left. Frankly, you'd be talking about a 'narco' state, if any still exist, or something similar. The avenues for them are fairly narrow,' he said. 'Another feature for them in relocating is the assets they have buried in places like Dubai and other locations. You might physically be able to pop on a plane to wherever you want to go. But your control of the money, and your ability to control the empire, would be extremely limited.' But he also stresses that, in order to seek their extradition, investigations must be completed in Ireland to the point where they have a case to answer, relating to serious criminal charges. 'You must have sitting inside that [extradition] process a full case that's strong and that doesn't require any further investigation. That's a high bar.'
Irish Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Three late goals see Kilkenny retain Leinster minor hurling title
Leinster MHC final: Kilkenny 4-11 Galway 1-8 Kilkenny are Leinster minor hurling champions once again after claiming a 12-point victory over Galway in Portlaoise. Three goals inside the final 10 minutes from Cian Byrne, Ollie O'Donovan and Diarmuid Behan eventually put an end to the Galway resistance after a tough battle throughout. Galway had started brightly with a Cian Hannon goal helping them to a 1-2 to 0-3 lead nearing the end of the opening period. An opportunistic Jake Mullen goal settled the Cats and further scores from O'Donovan and Kevin Buggy ensured Niall Bergin's side led by three points at the change of ends. READ MORE Galway then had the aid of a strong breeze in the second half but struggled to make an impact as the Noresiders outscored them 0-5 to 0-1 before the end of the third quarter. Galway relied on the free-taking exploits of Cillian Roche and Jack Shaughnessy for all but one of their scores in the final 30 minutes, in contrast to the attacking display at the other end. The dam broke loose in the final few minutes with O'Donovan, Behan and Byrne combining for three quick-fire goals which sealed the result in their favour as they brought home a 61st provincial minor crown and now go directly into the All-Ireland semi-finals. KILKENNY: J O'Doherty; O Henderson, L Phelan, D McGee; B Nevin (0-1), J Dowling, PJ Mackey; D Behan (1-0), B Hickey; K Buggy (0-1), O O'Donovan (1-2), J Mullen (1-4, 4f); E Brennan (0-1), C Holohan, C Byrne (1-2). Subs: A Maher for Holohan (53 mins), D Hickey for B Hickey (56), K Ryan for McGee (59), K Barcoe for Mackey (59), S Hanrahan for O'Donovan (62). GALWAY: O O'Connell; L Murphy, S Coen, A McDonagh; R Burke, S Brady, D Zimmerer; S Moran, C Hannon (1-0); G Lohan, J Shaughnessy (0-4, 4f), R Cahalan (0-1); T Mac Cartaigh, C Roche (0-3), E Coleman. Subs: J Canning for Lohan (41 mins), M Maher for Coleman (47), L Tully for Coen (49), C O'Loughlin for Cahalan (58), S Keane for Hannon (62). Referee: P Dunne (Laois).
BreakingNews.ie
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Meath's Matthew Costello happy to see return of excitment to Leinster championship
Meath forward Matthew Costello says he is happy to see the return of excitement to the provincial championships, despite Meath's defeat to Louth in the Leinster final. In the shock of the season so far, Meath ended Dublin's long-standing dominance in the province with a historic win over their rivals in the semi-final in Portlaoise. Advertisement It was the first time Dublin had failed to win Leinster since 2010, when they were also knocked out by Meath. In a thrilling encounter on Sunday, the Royal County came up short against Louth, who claimed their first Leinster title since 1957. Still, Costello took the positives from a day that featured an incredible atmosphere at Croke Park. 'It was an amazing experience. If the result had gone our way, it would probably have been the best sporting day of your life,' said Costello. 'It just wasn't to be. Even the parade before the game was like nothing I had ever experienced, and I'm not sure if I'll get to experience something like that again. Advertisement 'Both sets of fans really gave their all, and it was brilliant to be a part of. 'This year, getting our semi-final into Portlaoise was a great thing. You're basically able to pack out a stadium – the atmosphere that day was brilliant. 'It depends on what the future holds, but maybe we can get 60,000 people in for the Leinster quarter and semi-finals in the future.' Dublin's dominance in recent years had often been used as a stick to beat the provincial championships with, as they routinely ran out comprehensive winners in front of sparse crowds. Advertisement Meath's win over Dublin is one of several games that has brought renewed spark to the provinces – something Costello is pleased to see. 'It's a great thing. The game maybe needed a bit of a spark to get the provincial championships going again. 'When they're so one-sided for so long, people do lose interest. Looking ahead, we just want the provincial championships to be as competitive as possible and in front of as many fans as possible.' In an entertaining and closely fought game, Meath led for spells and were ahead with seven minutes remaining, thanks to Costello's goal. Advertisement However, Louth finished the stronger side, scoring the decisive points and keeping possession in the final moments. For Costello, Sunday's experience was one Meath can learn from. 'I think it was important for us to witness a crowd like that and experience that sort of occasion. If you're going to go anywhere in the sport, you've got to be able to deal with 60,000 or 70,000 people in Croke Park, and that should stand to us in the future. 'It's vital that we get these experiences. You learn more from a loss than from a win, which is hard to say now and hard to take – but we've got to believe it will stand to us. Advertisement 'There are going to be tough days and tough times, but we keep moving forward.' Meath won't have much time to feel sorry for themselves as they face Cork on May 24th in a group that also includes Kerry and Roscommon. 'To be honest, I know it's difficult now because of the magnitude of Sunday, but we're well used to this. 'It's a very tough group – there's no easy draw at this stage of the competition. Everyone feels like they can beat each other. 'Full focus is on Cork for now, but we know we've got tough battles ahead in the group as well.'
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Kilkenny U-20s leave Dublin in their dust as they streak ahead to Leinster title
Leinster Under-20 HC final: Dublin v Kilkenny Kilkenny 2-21 Dublin 0-17 Portlaoise proved a happy hunting ground for the second week running for the Kilkenny U-20 hurlers who streaked past Dublin to collect a 28th provincial title. Laois gave Mark Dowling's young Cats their fill of it for 40 or so minutes in last Wednesday's semi-final before eventually caving in. It was something similar this time too as Kilkenny, operating with an extra player for the majority of the second half, pulled clear of Dublin for a comfortable win. READ MORE Early goals from Rory Glynn and Aaron McEvoy laid the platform for Kilkenny's first title at the grade since 2022. Glynn and McEvoy finished with 2-3 between them while free-taker Michael Brennan top-scored with eight points. But it was more about the power of the collective as Kilkenny dominated in virtually all areas against a Dublin side that never truly got going. Dublin lost midfielder Fionn Murphy to a second booking early in the second half, though their boat was already taking on significant water at that stage. The Dubs built up a head of steam throughout the knock-out series having previously lost to Kilkenny by seven points in the group stage. But they never looked like gaining revenge and trailed throughout as Kilkenny advanced to a May 31st All-Ireland final against Tipperary. Dublin took the circuitous route to the provincial decider having beaten Antrim, holders Offaly and Galway in the knock-out series after losing both their group games. It was final agony for the second season running, however, for 2020 winners Dublin, who lost the 2024 decider to Offaly. They trailed from the first score of the game, Ed Lauhoff's fifth-minute point for Kilkenny, and were rocked moments later when Glynn sniped the first goal. McEvoy was the provider for the opening goal as Kilkenny strode ominously clear with points too from Glynn and captain Tom McPhillips. How Dublin missed the creative spark of injured attacker David Purcell. Fellow senior Conal Ó Riain had his moments and sniped two long-range points for the Dubs but Kilkenny deserved their 2-9 to 0-9 half-time lead. McEvoy hit Kilkenny's second goal in the 13th minute, bursting through the centre and rifling to the net. Dublin briefly got it going with four points in a row between the 25th and 29th minutes. Senan Crosbie struck the last of those points and punched the air in celebration, sensing an air of insurgence. But it was a false dawn as Kilkenny hit the afterburners in the second half and played for the majority of it with an extra player. Murphy got his marching orders for a second yellow shortly after the restart and the Sky Blues never threatened a comeback. They needed a goal but Senan Crosbie and Brendan Kenny were both denied on the evening by Stephen Manogue saves. Kilkenny twice reeled off unanswered four-point bursts in the second half, with midfielder Darragh Vereker and McPhillips among the scorers. Anthony Ireland Wall has been a useful substitute for Kilkenny throughout their four-game campaign and sniped another score from the bench too. KILKENNY: S Manogue; J Neary, R Garrett, I Bolger; S Bergin, E Lyng, C Hickey; T McPhillips (0-2) , D Vereker (0-2) ; E McDermott (0-1) , A McEvoy (1-1) , M Brennan (0-8, 5f, 165) ; E Lauhoff (0-4) , M Murphy, R Glynn (1-2) . Subs: J Dollard for Bergin (h/t); A Ireland Wall (0-1) for McDermott (48); M Ahern for Garrett (52); G Kelly for Murphy (55), J Hughes for Glynn (61). DUBLIN: D Joyce; C Groarke, D Lucey, J Sheppard; K Costello, B Lynch, B Kenny (0-1) ; C Kennedy, F Murphy; D O'Kelly (0-4, 4f) , J Kinnane (0-1) , S Crosbie (0-4, 1f) ; C Graham (0-2) , O Gaffney (0-3, 3f) , C O Riain (0-2) . Subs: N Fitzgerald for O'Kelly (41); J Norris for Graham (47); F Donohoe for Kennedy (52). Referee: E Furlong (Wexford).
BreakingNews.ie
12-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man (20s) arrested after attempted armed robbery in Co Laois
A man has been arrested after an attempted armed robbery of a commercial premises in Portlaoise, Co Laois. Shortly before noon, gardaí responded to a report of an individual who entered a business in the Fairgreen estate brandishing a knife, threatening staff and demanding money from the till. Advertisement The man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and held in a Garda station in Co Laois. He has since been charged and is expected to appear before a sitting of Portlaoise District Court on Monday. Gardaí say investigations are ongoing.
