Daniel Kinahan charged in Dublin after extradition from UAE

Dublin, Ireland. Daniel Kinahan was charged with directing a criminal organisation at a special Sunday sitting of Dublin’s Special Criminal Court after being extradited from the United Arab Emirates.

He was remanded in custody following the hearing, which took place under tight security at the non-jury court that hears terrorism and organised crime cases.

Extradition and court appearance

Kinahan was arrested in Dubai in April and was handed over to Irish authorities there on Sunday. He was flown to a military base on the outskirts of Dublin aboard an Irish government jet before being taken directly to court.

The 49-year-old, dressed in a black hoodie, black trousers and flip-flops, said he understood the charge. One of the three judges told him that any bail application would have to be made through the High Court.

“I think we know I won’t be getting bail, but thank you so much for explaining,” Kinahan replied.

Security and legal representation

Armed police guarded the courthouse entrance as crowds watched and recorded on mobile phones. Unmarked police cars left the area after the brief hearing.

Kinahan apologised for appearing without a lawyer, saying he had not had time to arrange representation while isolated in Dubai since Friday and had assumed a family member would do so.

Previous allegations

The United States named Kinahan in 2022 as one of three leaders of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group and offered a $5 million reward for their arrests.

A lawyer for Kinahan, who had lived openly in Dubai for 10 years and until recently was involved in organising high-profile boxing fights, told the BBC in 2021 that allegations he was a crime boss were false.

When the United States designated the group as a significant transnational criminal organisation four years ago, it compared the gang with some of the world’s most notorious crime networks. Irish police said at the time that the group had developed from heroin and cocaine dealing in Dublin in the 1990s into an operation active across Europe.