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FAMILY OUTRAGE

Major update in Kinahan Cartel crackdown as feud victim’s family demand murder suspect ‘put on plane from Dubai’

• Published: 7:00, 19 Sep 2023

A CLOSE relative of ­innocent feud victim Noel Kirwan has blasted authorities in Dubai over their failure to extradite senior cartel figure Sean McGovern.

His family member spoke exclusively to The Irish Sun after it emerged last week that Garda chief Drew Harris had invited cops in the United Arab Emirates to visit Ireland.

Commissioner Harris issued the invitation just a week after he met with senior investigators in the Middle East as part of efforts to dismantle the Kinahan mob.

Ireland’s most senior officer made the journey as Daniel ­Kinahan, 46, dad Christy, 66, and brother Christopher Jnr, 42, along with McGovern, 37, continue to live openly in the UAE.

Although McGovern’s partner Anita Freeman was back in ­Ireland last month, she has since returned to Dubai to be at McGovern’s side.

Thug McGovern — classified by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau as Daniel Kinahan’s “close confidant” — has remained in the region despite being the focus of a European Arrest Warrant.

He is wanted back in Ireland to stand trial for the murder of ­grandad Noel, who was shot as he sat in his car in Clondalkin, Dublin, just a few days before Christmas in 2016.

And Mr Kirwan’s relation wants to know why the UAE was willing to extradite Kinahan associate Raffaele Imperiale to Italy but is making no movement to send McGovern back to Ireland.

They told The Irish Sun: “If they can extradite people like Raffaele Imperiale why can’t they send McGovern back to Ireland?

“Authorities in the UAE have known about this warrant for a year but absolutely nothing has been done about it.

“It’s OK for the Garda Commissioner to go to Dubai but it shouldn’t take a year to arrest someone and send them back to Ireland.

“McGovern is wanted for the murder of a completely innocent man yet it’s just business as usual for him and other cartel members.

“What is the point of the authorities from Dubai coming to Ireland?

“If they do come here Sean McGovern should be on the plane with them.”

CRIMINALS KICKED OUT

Mafia boss Imperiale isn’t the only low life kicked out of Dubai. Dutch criminal Ridouan Taghi was also extradited after moves made by the UAE authorities in 2019.

Although these major criminals were extradited, the Kinahan group continues to lead normal lives in the Middle East.

The family member also added: “There are also people who are surprised that McGovern has lived this long because of what he knows about the Kinahan group.

“Noel’s family have been through hell and suffered immense trauma but McGovern still walks free.

POWERFUL MESSAGE

“The Dubai authorities could send a powerful message to Ireland and indeed other European countries if they were put this major player in organised crime on a plane.

“Hopefully the family won’t have to wait for another year before McGovern is sent back to Ireland to stand trial.”

Following Harris’ visit to Dubai, the Commissioner told how he hopes to work towards a bilateral agreement with police in Dubai.

He also confirmed he had shared intelligence on the Kinahan group.

And the top officer also confirmed there had already been an exchange of letters between himself and Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, who is the commander in chief of Dubai police.

PRIVILEGE VISIT

After arriving back in Ireland, Harris said he had “the privilege of visiting Dubai Police”.

He added: “Obviously, elements of the Kinahan organised crime gang are based there, so it’s in our interests as a police service and actually in bringing individuals to justice that we have a good relationship with Dubai police.

“I think we can have a very positive partnership.”

During the Commissioner’s recent visit to the UAE, McGovern’s warrant was one of the topics discussed.