Johnny Morrissey, recognised by US enforcement agencies as a pivotal member of the global Kinahan cartel, has been set free from detention in Spain after posting a €60,000 bail. He was apprehended in September 2022 amid ongoing investigations into his alleged involvement in the cartel’s money laundering operations.
Although he joins the list of individuals, previously detained in Spain for their alleged links to the cartel, who have been released without any charges being pressed, he is still under continued scrutiny. Morrissey had been one of seven criminal individuals, including cartel progenitor Christy Kinahan along with his sons Daniel and Christopher jnr, who were hit with financial restrictions in 2022 set by the US treasury department. Reports painted Morrissey as having close ties to Daniel Kinahan, the ringleader of the cartel, and even attended his 2017 Dubai wedding.
A September 2022 operation, which saw joint efforts from six different law enforcement authorities including An Garda Síochána, the Spanish Civil Guard, and the US Drug Enforcement Agency, culminated in Morrissey’s arrest along with two others on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Spanish law enforcement previously asserted that the money laundering syndicate Morrissey was supposedly a part of was capable of processing €350,000 daily, or a staggering €200 million in the 18 months leading up to his capture.
Spanish officials have corroborated that the 63-year-old Morrissey was set free after paying a €60,000 bail, surrendering his travel documents, and agreeing to a worldwide travel embargo. Presently, Marbella court remains engrossed in investigating Morrissey for allegations of money laundering and involvement in organised crime.
A representative for the examining magistrate revealed several conditions tied to his release, which include a travel ban, the surrender of his travel documents, bi-monthly court appearances and the provisioning of a fixed address.
Morrissey, a British-born Irish passport holder, has been living in Spain’s Malaga area for a significant period. In the 1990s, Morrissey owned and managed a restaurant in Kinsale, County Cork, before falling under the scrutiny of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). He relocated to Ireland in the mid-1990s after abandoning his links with the criminal underworld in the UK.
Morrissey bought a property in Kinsale, converting it into a restaurant after reportedly splurging around €600,000 on refurbishment. His frequent cash payments earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Cash’. Following this, he left Ireland, reappearing within Malaga’s prestigious social circles.
He associated himself with a luxury alcohol brand, supposedly owned by him, as stated by US officials. Through this sustainable relationship, he contributed to many social gatherings, frequently being photographed alongside second-tier celebrities, and occasionally sharing these images on his Twitter.
US authorities, during the disclosure of penalties against the Kinahan gang at a function in Dublin’s City Hall in April 2022, identified Mr Morrissey as an ‘enforcer’ within the syndicate, serving for several years. They further conferred that he played a key role in setting up the cartel’s international drug trafficking channels from South America and was involved in money laundering activities.
According to the US Treasury Department, Morrissey directly or indirectly commanded the Scotland-based Nero Drinks Company Ltd. The firm, known for its premium alcoholic beverages, is one of the three organisations currently facing US sanctions.