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BACKFIRED GUN DEAL UP DATED BY WATCHROOT SEPTEMBER 2023.

Kinahan cartel kingpin ordered cronies to move weapons in cross-border gun

run in bid to reduce sentence

• Published: 7:00, 14 Aug 2023
• Updated: 20:41, 13 Aug 2023

KINAHAN cartel boss Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh is suspected of having had weapons moved from Dublin to the North so he could cut a deal with ­British cops, The Irish Sun can reveal.

Investigators suspect Kavanagh, 55, ordered his goons to ship the weapons to Newry, Co Down, as part of his efforts to secure a reduced sentence for masterminding a €36million drug smuggling operation.

Detectives believe the 11 weapons — three handguns, four machine guns, a rifle and three machine pistols — had been smuggled into Ireland a few months before they were recovered just over the border in May 2021.

Officers believe part of the arms cache was to be kept by the Kinahan cartel in the event of a fresh outbreak of violence with Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch’s gang and others sold on to other criminal gangs.

As head of the cartel’s Irish and UK branch at the time of his arrest for the drug smuggling operation, Kavanagh was aware of the locations of all cartel arms dumps in the country.

Once they had been transported to the North and their location provided to him, he gave the exact location of the arms dump to the UK’s National Crime Agency.

But his plan to have his sentence reduced backfired when he appeared at London Magistrates Court last Tuesday charged with conspiracy to possess firearms without a certificate, possessing ammunition without a certificate and possession of a “fire bull” firearm, which can fire repeated bullets with one press of the trigger.

He was also charged with possession of a “dum dum” bullet and with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Kavanagh’s son Jack, 22, and brother-in-law Liam Byrne 42, are also charged as part of the same investigation, and are currently fighting extradition in Spain.

One investigator told us: “Kavanagh was trying to play the system and it backfired on him in spectacular fashion.

“Not only did he get a huge sentence for the drugs, he also managed to get his son and brother-in-law arrested and lost cartel weapons.

“He thought he was clever but the NCA, who were working closely with the Gardai, were streets ahead of him at all times.

“The belief is that weapons were already in the Republic because if they had been in the UK it would have been too risky for his associates to transport them to Co Down.

“There are no longer any checks on the border, so it would have been an easy choice for him.”

‘MASSIVE MISTAKE’

The investigator added: “The reality is that Kavanagh thought he had a bargaining chip — but it was a massive mistake on his part.

“The only thing he has managed to achieve is bringing more charges on himself. If he had kept quiet about the weapons, he wouldn’t have been in court last week.”

As Kavanagh prepares to appear in court again in September over the firearms offences, he’s also facing another headache before the courts.

Already serving a 21-year sentence for masterminding a multi-million-euro drugs network, his personal business empire is in ruins as the NCA continue their “assets recovery” case against him.

ASSETS WORTH MILLIONS

At present, the NCA are putting the finishing touches to their case before it goes to court later this year.

If successful, it could lead to Kavanagh losing his €1m pad in the UK’s West Midlands, over €250,000 worth of jewellery, and cash from his car sale businesses in Birmingham.

It’s understood the NCA believe Kavanagh has assets worth over €2million.

Once the NCA’s case has been presented, Kavanagh will be asked to reach a financial settlement with the court.

And if he is unable to meet the payment, he could face more jail time.

KAVANAGH NOT ‘GOING ANYWHERE’

Alongside the NCA operation, the Criminal Assets Bureau in Ireland has also seized the €1m property in Saggart once owned by disgraced businessman James Mansfield.

Kavanagh — along with his partner Daniel Kinahan — is accused by CAB of receiving part ownership of the property from Mansfield in exchange for a €4million failed property investment.

Another investigator added: “There is no rush on the proceeds of crime case because Kavanagh isn’t going anywhere soon.

“The latest phase of the investigation against him means it’s the end of the road for him. The law enforcement activity directed against him and his colleagues is coming from all directions.

FINANCIAL PROBE

“In Kavanagh’s case, an application has been made and we will be working to pursue this through the courts in due course.

“In addition, our financial investigation into Kavanagh and his co-conspirators is continuing with a view to stripping them of assets they may have acquired through their criminality.”

Kavanagh’s appearance in court is the latest part of the ongoing process to destroy the Kinahan cartel.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau have already smashed the cartel hit teams operating in the capital and senior figures such as Fat Freddie Thompson are behind bars for life.

KINAHAN FAMILY INVESTIGATION

And with Kavanagh now behind bars, the investigations to bring Daniel Kinahan, his brother Christopher and dad Christy before the courts is ongoing.

A European Arrest Warrant has also been issued for Sean McGovern over the killing of Noel ‘Duck Egg’ Kirwan in 2016.

At present, only senior cartel associates Ross Browning, Graham ‘The Wig’ Whelan and Liam Roe remain in Ireland.

Browning is also feeling the heat after CAB moved to smash his property empire.