The Kinahan cartel are furious at locked-up Johnny Morrissey for going against their specific instructions on how to launder their drug money, we can reveal.
Spanish intelligence sources have told The Mirror how mob boss Daniel Kinahan blames Morrissey for drawing law enforcement’s attention by allegedly laundering money for the cartel — while boss of the high-profile Nero Vodka company.
And over two months on from Morrissey’s arrest the cartel still have the major headache of replacing the thug who was key to their underworld business.
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Morrissey (62) was lifted by Spain’s Guardia Civil in September after, according to investigators, he laundered €200 million for the Kinahans in the previous 18-month period.
The gangster, originally from Manchester, was a key figure within the gang’s European operations particularly after Daniel (45), his father Christy (64) and brother Christopher (41) left the Costa del Sol for Dubai in 2017.
Now fresh Spanish intelligence has revealed how the Kinahans had given Morrissey instructions to launder their money in the typical cartel fashion and not to draw attention to himself.
Traditionally the gang have done so through businesses such as shops, bars, nightclubs, motorways and property firms. However, Morrissey ran the dodgy money operation while he was maintaining a high profile as boss of Nero Vodka.
Sources explained that everything about the booze firm went against the “cautionary” approach the gang would usually take. Morrissey and his wife Nicola, Nero Vodka’s CEO, appeared in pictures with well-known stars and they hosted lavish bashes while promoting the supposed high-end product.
The couple’s launches also included a special Gladiator-themed bash, held at Marbella’s five-star Puente Romano Hotel. Last year Nero Vodka sponsored a UK gangster movie, Rise Of The Footsoldier 4. Nero Vodka was also one of the sponsors of the 16th Marbella International Film Festival.
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In the meantime, Morrissey’s wife Nicola was giving interviews about how the business was expanding into the US. Nicola was also arrested alongside her husband in September, but was later released.
But the Kinahans believe Morrissey’s self-proclaimed “success” — in a business which lost €345,000 last year—drew the attention of investigators on him and ultimately the gang’s money laundering operation in Europe.
A Spanish source said: “The Kinahans blame Morrissey for drawing law enforcement attention upon himself. This means they have to go and find someone else to do it and that’s no easy task when you look at the pressure they are currently under."
The source added: “Morrissey was given specific instructions to carry out money laundering in the typical Kinahan fashion...low profile and [diverse].
“But Morrissey...launched Nero Vodka and held high-profile launches. It was so brazen to think that it would not draw attention.”
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