A senior garda will be based in the Middle East state where mob boss Daniel Kinahan is currently holed up as the noose tightens on the Dublin mob boss.
An officer will be appointed to capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, with responsibility for the Middle East region as gardai work to bring the higher echelons of the Kinahan cartel to justice. The move came on foot of Justice Minister Helen McEntee receiving Government approval for the expansion of the Garda Liaison Officer Network following a request from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
GLOs collaborate with other law enforcement agencies investigating Irish criminals who the gardai are working to prosecute. It is believed it took around two years of talks with authorities in the Middle East to approve the move.
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Mob boss Daniel has been in Dubai since 2016, while his father Christy Snr and brother Christy Jnr are also based in the region. It is the latest push in the global crackdown against the cartel, which saw US government sanctions – including a $5million bounty on their heads – imposed on them in early April.
The UAE followed, with the mob’s assets in the region, which included bank accounts, also targeted. Sources last night said the expansion of the GLO network is a positive development for gardai.
It has seen considerable success in Bogota, Colombia, where another senior garda has been based for some years. One investigator explained: “This is a huge move in terms of international cooperation against the Kinahans as well as other gangs.
"There is an officer based in Colombia already and there has been great work done there where you are targeting the drugs business and Daniel Kinahan’s business partners at the source. But now you will also have someone based in the Middle East where he, his father and brother live along with other people of interest.
"And there’s no doubt that investigations in Ireland and abroad will really benefit from this. You can’t help but see all of this ongoing work ending in the complete destruction of the Kinahan group.”
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told how international cooperation between law enforcement agencies has never been so important. And Ireland’s top cop said: “As was seen recently in the transnational action against the Kinahan organised crime group, An Garda Siochana’s expanding network of international liaison offices plays a critical role in tackling crime here and abroad.”
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Not only is Daniel, his father and brother based in Dubai, but so too is senior cartel associate Sean McGovern. A European Arrest Warrant is out for the 36-year-old Dubliner’s arrest for murder as well as directing and participating in a criminal organisation.
It is also understood Kinahan lieutenant Liam Byrne has been spotted in the UAE in recent months after leaving the UK, where the National Crime Agency is on his case.
Minister McEntee yesterday warned that the Garda’s work abroad means that such criminals can run but can’t hide from justice. The minister said: “We have seen the importance of international law enforcement coalitions in recent months as, through collaboration with their partners, An Garda Siochana have enjoyed success in pursuing Irish criminals abroad, such as the Kinahan Organised Crime Group.
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“Some criminals may think that they can evade justice by leaving Ireland but these law enforcement coalitions demonstrate that they cannot.”
A second appointment which will be made is for another senior garda to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. Another Irish cop is set to join the GLO officer in Washington DC. Other officers are based in Madrid, Paris, London and The Hague.
Garda members at the rank of sergeant, inspector and superintendent have been assigned to these positions in the Irish embassies as part of the diplomatic mission in those countries.
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Minister McEntee added: “These new positions will be important for enhancing the security of the state and strengthening An Garda Siochana’s relationships with police services overseas. And given the increasingly transnational nature of organised crime and terrorism, the Garda Liaison Officer Network plays an important role in realising An Garda Siochana’s commitment to tackle these twin issues.
“They engage with local and regional law enforcement agencies regarding the activities and movement of Irish nationals or people linked to Ireland who An Garda Siochana, and potentially their colleague police services, have an interest in. The new GLOs will be crucial in assisting An Garda Siochana in pursuing criminals who spread misery here in Ireland, as well as abroad.”
A second appointment which will be made is for another senior garda to be based in Bangkok, Thailand. While there is one based in Washington in the US, another Irish cop will also join him there in a second position created.
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Other GLO positions that exist are situated in Madrid, Paris, London and The Hague. Garda members at the rank of Sergeant, Inspector and Superintendent have been assigned to these positions in the Irish embassies as part of the Irish diplomatic mission in those countries.
Minister McEntee said: “This is the second expansion of the Network in the past two years following the creation of the Washington and Bogota posts in 2020. These expansions follow a review of the Network which recommended the creation of five new regional GLO posts.
“These new positions will be important for enhancing the security of the state and strengthening An Garda Síochána’s relationships with police services overseas. The deployment of Garda Liaison Officers to date has proven to be an effective and practical form of interagency cooperation between police services and has supported the exchange of information and the coordination of operations across borders.
“This expansion will see the Network break new ground by expanding into the Middle-East and South-East Asia/Australasia while also supplementing the existing operations in North America and Europe.”
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