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.

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.

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.

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."

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."

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."