Almost a decade since the start of a brutal dispute between notorious Hutch and Kinahan criminal factions, the recent happenings across various territories indicate significant strides being made in the battle against organized crime. Just last Monday, Helen McEntee, the Justice Minister, flew to Abu Dhabi to endorse an extradition pact with the UAE. This represents the first situation where the UAE’s commitment to extraditions to Ireland is tested, with the case of Sean McGovern, a high-ranking Kinahan associate, being the focal point. McGovern was apprehended at his residence in Dubai three weeks prior due to an extradition order from Ireland, which was issued before the signing of the current treaty.
This recent occurrence, coming after prolonged talks between the UAE authorities and the Irish Government, brings up the potential scenario that the Kinahans, Christopher and his sons Daniel and Christopher junior, who are at the helm of Ireland’s most extensive criminal syndicate, may no longer find refuge in their Dubai stronghold from prosecution in Ireland.
Adding to this, Tuesday saw sentencing in London of Thomas “Bomber” Kavanagh and Liam Byrne, the men directing Kinahan’s operations in Britain and Ireland, with six and five years imprisonment respectively.
Wednesday saw the arrest of Gerard Hutch, the leader of the rival gang named after him, following a police raid at his Clontarf residence. On Friday, Hutch faced charges of money laundering and was placed in custody.
The chain of events in the week indicates that the global endeavour to counter the country’s most formidable criminals is yielding results. This current endeavour traces its origins back to the initial hostility between Kinahan and Hutch, which resulted in the deaths of 18 individuals within a brief timeframe and was rightfully recognised as a defiance against state authority. This precipitated unparalleled inter-governmental collaboration, involving penalties instated by the US against members of the Kinahan gang.
Legal professionals have advised taking a careful approach regarding the effectiveness of the new extradition treaty in relation to the Kinahans case. It is yet to be determined what kind of charges the Irish governmental bodies will raise against them, and how those charges would be deliberated upon in a UAE court. Nevertheless, the situation clearly indicates that the suspects are being cornered.
Global crime, indubitably a societal curse as well as an international commercial activity, mercilessly exploits the young and defenceless. It causes damage to the most disadvantaged communities within the state and attempts to pollute good governance with the aim of acquiring power and financial gains. The recent situations starkly highlight the international aspect of the issue, and emphasise the importance of intergovernmental collaboration to combat it. In the past, international law’s imperfections and gaps have been utilised by lawbreakers to dodge legal punishment. It seems, however, that these gaps are progressively being sealed.