Prominent figure in the Kinahan cartel, Sean McGovern, was recently apprehended in Dubai, marking a significant turning point in an ongoing investigation. His arrest comes two years after suggestions surfaced regarding his involvement in a Kinahan-Hutch feud murder, leading to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directing charges against him.
Prior to this, there had been worries that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would not take action against him. However, this arrest marks the first of a senior cartel member in Dubai, instilling greater trust in the UAE’s readiness to act against other influential figures, including Christy Kinahan Snr, the founder of the cartel, and his sons, Daniel and Christopher.
McGovern, originally from Dublin, is suspected of involvement in the brutal execution of innocent Noel Kirwan in December 2016 who was targeted due to connections with the Hutch family. McGovern, who himself was injured in a shooting incident at the Regency Hotel in 2016, now faces charges related to this murder.
While unable to speak on specific cases, Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, publicly expressed her approval of the arrest, stating, “There is no refuge for those engaged in organised crime; justice will inevitably be served. This government is doing all within its power to dismantle organised crime.”
In regards to criminals believing they could evade justice by moving across borders, she clarified that there is no sanctuary for them anywhere on Earth. In the aftermath of his apprehension at his Dubai home on early Thursday morning, Irish time, it was revealed that McGovern was one of seven key players in the Kinahan cartel that had been on the radar of the US authorities in 2022. Despite the absence of extradition agreements between the UAE and the European Union or its individual member states, McGovern had been living out in the open in Dubai, seemingly under the impression that he was safe from arrest.
In 2022, the US treasury department identified Sean McGovern as a key confidant and advisor to Daniel Kinahan. They highlighted that all interactions with Daniel Kinahan are conducted through Sean. McGovern’s residence in Crumlin, Dublin, was taken over by the Criminal Assets Bureau as he was suspected of handling communications for Daniel Kinahan, also participating in the sale of large amounts of cocaine.
As the US was implementing sanctions, the Garda confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had instructed that McGovern be put on trial in Dublin for his purported involvement in the Kinahan-Hutch feud which lead to the murder of 62-year-old Noel Kirwan in Clondalkin, County Dublin, in 2016. Other charges relating to organised crime were also raised.
Mr Kirwan was assassinated whilst sitting in his Ford Mondeo car parked outside his Dublin home shortly after 5pm on December 22nd, 2016. A well-executed gangland ambush left him wounded six times, following careful tracking and surveillance using a device attached to his vehicle.
Although Mr Kirwan was not criminally involved, it seems that the Kinahan cartel and their associated Dublin group, the Byrne crime group, mistakenly linked him to individuals connected to the Regency attack, which claimed the life of David Byrne.
David Byrne was the sibling of Liam Byrne, both hailing from Crumlin’s Raleigh Square. Following his murder, the Kinahan and Byrne factions targeted members, family, and those thought to have close ties with the rival Hutch group including Mr Kirwan, despite his lack of criminal involvement.