Irish organized crime case paused as Kinahan scouts lawyer

The U.S. says Daniel Kinahan leads one of the world’s most dangerous crime groups. He faces a charge of directing a criminal organization in Ireland.MANCHESTER, England — Ireland’s criminal case against Daniel Kinahan was adjourned Monday for a week, delaying proceedings against the man U.S. authorities have identified as a leader of a major international drug-trafficking organization.His lawyer, Belfast solicitor Darragh Mackin, was unable to attend, the court heard. Senior Counsel David Perry said Mackin wanted to make a formal application to come on record as Kinahan’s lawyer.Kinahan, 49, appeared by video link from prison before Ireland’s Special Criminal Court — a three-judge court that handles certain serious crimes without a jury.He faces the charge of directing the activities of a criminal organization between October 2015 and April 2017.Judge Caroline Biggs granted the request to adjourn the case until Monday, when Kinahan is expected to appear in person and Mackin is expected to make the application.The hearing lasted only a few minutes, with Kinahan speaking to confirm his identity, then to confirm he could hear and see the proceedings.Kinahan remains in custody at the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison in Dublin.Monday marked his second court appearance since Ireland extradited him from the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 9.Kinahan faces one criminal chargeIrish prosecutors have charged Kinahan under Section 71A of Ireland’s Criminal Justice Act 2006, concerning the direction of a criminal organization.Kinahan spent about a decade in Dubai with his wife and five children before he was arrested in April after Irish authorities sought his extradition.When Kinahan first appeared before the Special Criminal Court on Aug. 9, he did not have a lawyer. He told the court he had been unable to arrange representation before his return to Ireland.The court remanded him in custody. When told he could seek bail through Ireland’s High Court, Kinahan replied: “I think we all know I won’t be getting bail, but thank you for your time.”U.S. targeted Kinahan cartelThe case has drawn international attention because of the Kinahan organization’s purported links to drug trafficking and organized crime in Ireland, the U.K., Spain and elsewhere.In April 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the Kinahan Organized Crime Group and identified Daniel Kinahan, his father, Christopher Kinahan Sr. and his brother Christopher Kinahan Jr. as key members.The U.S. says the group trafficked narcotics, including cocaine, into Europe and used Dubai as a hub for criminal activity.The U.S. State Department also announced rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of each of the three Kinahan family members for transnational organized crime.The sanctions were imposed during a long-running feud involving the Kinahan organization and a rival gang, in which 18 people were killed, according to the U.S. State Department.U.S. authorities said at the time that Kinahan directed senior members of the organization from Dubai and played a central role in its drug trafficking and money laundering operations.British investigations targeted wider networkThe Kinahan organization has also been the subject of major investigations in the U.K.The National Crime Agency, which investigates serious and organized crime across the U.K., said the group was involved in drug trafficking, firearms and money laundering.In 2022, Thomas Kavanagh, whom the agency described as the head of the group’s U.K. operations, was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Gary Vickery received 20 years and Daniel Canning was sentenced to 19 years after convictions involving drug imports and money laundering.The crime agency said evidence showed the men were responsible for cocaine shipments worth as much as 23.4 million pounds and cannabis imports worth about 6.4 million pounds.Kinahan himself became a target during the gang feud.In February 2016, gunmen attacked the Regency Hotel in Dublin in an apparent attempt to kill him. His associate David Byrne was killed.Irish authorities are now preparing the next steps in the case against Kinahan, who is due back before the Special Criminal Court next Monday.Courthouse News reporter James Francis Whitehead is based in England.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads