US Offers Huge Reward To Help Catch Notorious Irish Crime Family
The United States is now offering a hefty $5m (£3.8m) reward for any help or information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of leaders of the well-known 'organised crime group', the Kinahans
The Kinahan crime cartel is a notorious Irish gang known for a whole array of organised crimes including the likes of money laundering, murder and the smuggling of 'deadly narcotics, including cocaine, to Europe,' according to American officials.
Expanding from the streets of Dublin to an international drug-smuggling and illegal firearms trafficking cartel, seven senior members of the Kinahan family have since been slapped with tough US Treasury sanctions as part of a bid to disturb their financial operations.
Reward of up to $5,000,000.00 USD for information leading to the Financial Disruption of the Kinahan Criminal Organisation or the arrest and/or conviction of:
— Garda Info (@gardainfo) April 12, 2022
Daniel Kinahan
Christy Kinahan Sr
Christy Kinahan Jr
Submit Tips via email to [email protected] pic.twitter.com/PEafbJkJ8a
In a tweet from Garda Info's official Twitter account, the organisation issued a call-out for 'information leading to the Financial Disruption of the Kinahan Criminal Organisation or the arrest and/or conviction of: Daniel Kinahan, Christy Kinahan Sr and Christy Kinahan Jr.'
Claire Cronin, US ambassador to Ireland, spoke in Dublin about the monetary sanction against the three leaders, highlighting the payout that would follow for information that will lead to the 'financial destruction' of the Kinahan gang or the arrest and conviction of its leaders.
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Her statement followed with a key emphasis on bringing down the crime family as 'an urgent priority for President Biden and the US government.'
Named and sanctioned by the US department of the treasury’s office of foreign assets control (OFAC) alongside the three leaders were Kinahan associates including Sean McGovern, Ian Dixon, Bernard Clancy and John Morrissey.
An Garda Síochána seek the public's help in establishing the whereabouts of 36 year old Kinahan Crime Group member Sean McGovern.
— Garda Info (@gardainfo) April 12, 2022
A European Arrest Warrant has been issued for his arrest relating to offences of Murder and Directing & Participating in a Criminal Organisation. pic.twitter.com/QxricY7AAN
Speaking at an event at Dublin City Hall, Ms Cronin said the gang has committed 'heinous' crimes around the world, some of which include the illegal trafficking of firearms and murder.
“We want to send a clear message to trans-national organised crime groups that the United States will continue to work with its partners and make every effort to disrupt their operations and bring their leaders to justice, no matter where they are," Cronin said.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris added: “The Kinahan organised crime gang started life as south inner-city Dublin drug dealers but has grown over the decades to become a trans-national crime cartel involved in a wide-range of criminality that it is estimated has generated over one billion euro for them."
"Today is a landmark day in the fight against organised crime and in particular the Kinahan organised crime gang" - Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
— Garda Info (@gardainfo) April 12, 2022
An Garda Síochána & international law enforcement partners are today launching an initiative tackling the apex of the Kinahan gang. pic.twitter.com/3zb72XMHOv
The sanctioning of the crime family has been dubbed a huge 'blow' to the Kinahans by Matt Horne, deputy director of investigations at Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA).
The sanctions essentially mean the mobsters will not be able to access any money, properties or assets based in the US as well being banned from US airlines.
"This group thought they were untouchable," Horne added. "But this shows that we will pursue every opportunity available to disrupt their criminal activities and we will not stop here."
Pictures from today's press briefing at Dublin City Hall with @StateDept @CBP @USTreasury @DEAHQ @NCA_UK @Europol #Garda100 pic.twitter.com/ixh7QmaMof
— Garda Info (@gardainfo) April 12, 2022
Irish premier Micheal Martin has since relayed that the government will also consider offering a financial reward for information on the Kinahan gang.
He said he will raise the issue with his colleagues and keep the measure under constant review, explaining the government “want to do everything we possibly can generally to deal with criminality in our country."
Rhiannon Ingle