Ireland begins operation to extradite Daniel Kinahan from UAE

An Irish government aircraft has departed for the United Arab Emirates to facilitate the extradition of suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan. Kinahan has been held in Dubai since his arrest in April following a warrant issued by Irish courts. After unsuccessful legal challenges to his extradition, he is expected to be flown back to Ireland to face the Special Criminal Court.

Authorities are preparing for a major security operation involving An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, and the Irish Prison Service. To manage the high-risk prisoner, the prison service has upgraded facilities at the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison and acquired a specially protected escort vehicle for transporting high-risk individuals.

Kinahan is accused of leading an organized crime cartel that was sanctioned by the US government in 2022. He previously had connections to the sports world through his now-defunct boxing management company, MTK Global.