Boxing legend Kenny Egan has called for any money made from the sale of a Kinahan cartel mansion seized by CAB to be given to local drug task forces.
This week the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) seized ownership of an over €1M mansion in Saggart, South Co Dublin, which it said was under the control of the Kinahan cartel.
The mansion was given to mob boss Daniel Kinahan and his number-two-in-command Thomas ‘Bomber Kavanagh by businessman Jim Mansfield Jr - after his €4.5M cash property investment deal with the cartel went sour.
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Following the landmark High Court hearing this week, the Mansfields agreed to surrender any claim to the house to the CAB, which now has ownership of the building and intends to serve both Kinahan and Kavanagh.
And now Olympic boxer Kenny Egan, who is a local Fine Gael councillor in the area, has told The Star that he believes the proceeds of the sale of the Saggart mansion be given to hardworking drug task forces.
“I would suggest sell the property and invest the money in the local drug task forces in the area - Clondalkin, Rathcoole and Tallaght,” Kenny said.
And also speaking exclusively to us last night Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the proceeds of the sale of the Kinahan mansion should go back into the community.
“We believe that the funding generated from the sale of this property by CAB should be ring fenced for community and community safety use - including for sports, education and addiction services, which would be transformative in communities impacted by the activities of these criminals,” she said.
Mobster Kinahan, who this week the High Court heard evidence once occupied the mansion, is currently poisoning the sport Egan proudly represented his country for.
Despite being named by gardai as the “controller and manager” of an international crime gang, Kinahan likes to portray himself as the kingpin of world boxing, and a legitimate businessman.
Olympic silver medallist Kenny hasn’t been shy of speaking out in the past - once slamming boxer Paddy Barnes for saying he would be happy to have Kinahan in his corner.
"I think he was a bit naive/ignorant of him to say that," Egan previously said.
"Paddy is very vocal and he's very opinionated but he is sectioned off up there in Belfast and probably doesn't know what's going on. I know who Daniel Kinahan is, you know who Daniel Kinahan is but Paddy mightn't really know."
Now Kinahan is set to be served by the CAB in his Dubai bolthole - with the High Court hearing this week that the Bureau is actively making efforts to do so in the coming days.
This week’s case unveiled the sordid details of how jailed businessman Jim Mansfield Jr was given two suitcases containing €4.5M by the Kinahan cartel as part of a property investment that “went sour.”
When the deal fell through the Kinahans were given the luxury mansion as well as cash payments totalling €50,000.
Shelley Horan BL, for the Bureau, told the court how it was “of the belief that the Kinahan/Kavanagh Organised Crime Gang made a substantial cash investment” with James Mansfield Jr in various properties.
But she said Mansfield’s fortunes deteriorated in the financial crash - and the Kinahan mob did not get what they invested in - “and the deal between the parties soured.”
As a result the house was given to the gang, along with cash payments of €50,000.
Ms Horan said there is a “reasonable assumption” that the house was “under the control of the Kinahan/Kavanagh organisation,” from 2014.
“We are making the case that essentially that property was under the control of the Kinahan Organised Crime Gang - Daniel Kinahan and Thomas Kavanagh,” she told the court.
She stated that personal items found in the house by CAB were found to belong to Daniel Kinahan, and therefore it was of the belief that the property “appeared to be occupied” by him at some stage.
The Star understands that Kinahan used the property as a safe house for many years - but it was also once occupied by others including his former pal - boxer Matthew Macklin - who has no connection to crime.
During a Garda raid of the property in 2015, Macklin was discovered to be staying there - but he no longer has any connection to the home.
The court further heard that CAB also seized another €24,150 in cash in the house and a further €20,500 in a nearby house, as part of this major probe.
As outlined by CAB, 10 Coldwater Lakes was also closely associated with mob boss Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh, who last week was jailed in the UK for 21 years for conspiracy to import Class A and Class B drugs.
The court heard that along with some Kinahan’s personal items - a sum of €5,000 in cash in a white envelope with 'KAVS' written on it was found inside.
The CAB believes this money belonged to Thomas Kavanagh, the court heard.
Ms Horan told sitting Judge Michael MacGrath that Kavanagh “is an international drug trafficker” and a “key member” of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group.
The court was told that he is married to Joanna Byrne, the sister of David Byrne who she said was murdered in the “infamous” Regency Hotel shooting in February 2016.
She also stated that Joanna is the sister of Liam Byrne, who she described as “the leader of the Byrne Organised Crime Group.
The court was told that Bomber was “involved in serious organised crime including the importation and distrubition of drugs” - and he also has previous convictions in the Republic of Ireland including threats to kill and firearms offences.
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