Kinahan cartel leaders “moving house to house” in Dubai to evade capture, gardai believe

It is understood they are being protected by armed former Russian army intelligence officers who they hired to keep them safe.

• 12:14, 11 JAN 2023

The leaders of the Kinahan crime cartel are still holding up in Dubai, Gardai believe.

Danial Kinahan , Christy Kinahan, and Christy Kinahan Jnr along with a number of lieutenants are moving from house to house for fear of being captured.

It’s believed they have not fled to Asia or Latin America and were spotted by international law enforcement officers on the ground in recent weeks.

It is understood they are being protected by armed former Russian army intelligence officers who they hired to keep them safe.

The pressure on the cartel which supplies a third of the cocaine across Europe has increased in recent weeks since the United Arab Emirates signed a cooperation liaison agreement last September with Interpol to stop Dubai being used as a bolthole. for international criminals and Russian oligarchs fleeing sanctions.

The arrest in recent weeks and months of five super-cartel leaders in Dubai associated with the Kinahans has also spooked the Irish drug lord family.

A senior Garda source said: ” Despite all that has been speculated, the Kinahans are still in Dubai and were seen there in recent weeks.

“They have been moving between various houses and apartments in case the authorities try to move against them.

Gardai now have a “liaison officer” on the ground in Dubai who is working with other EU states and the Americans to bring the Kinahans to justice.