Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Irish Government will consider offering a financial reward for information leading to the arrest of one of the leaders of the Kinahan cartel.
Mr Martin’s comments come after the US government has imposed sanctions on the three most senior members of the Kinahan organised crime group and offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to their arrest or financial disruption of the gang.
Mr Martin told the Irish Mirror that the move is “very significant” and work should continue with international police.
He also said that he will discuss with his Cabinet colleagues about offering a similar financial award that could lead to one of the senior members being arrested.
When asked by reporters if the Irish Government will consider a cash reward, Mr Martin said: “Yes I mean we want to do everything we possibly can to deal with, generally to deal with criminality in our country and increasingly we know that it’s through international collaboration, States working together because crime crosses borders, therefore I will discuss that with my Government colleagues and certainly we’ll keep an issue like that under review.
“We do have the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), an initiative set up many, many years ago following the murder of Veronica Guerin and that has been impactful in relation to it.”
Mr Martin welcomed the significant sanctions imposed on the three senior Kinahan members and said: “I think it’s very, very significant and I welcome this and I do believe that we have to work internationally and collaborate with other authorities in respect of these issues.”
US ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin told an event at Dublin City Hall that the US department of the treasury is offering a reward of $5 million/€4.6 million for information that will lead to the "financial destruction" of the Kinahan crime gang or the arrest and conviction of its leaders.
She said the Biden administration wants to send a clear message to transnational organised crime groups that the United States will continue to work with its partners and make every effort to disrupt their activities and bring its leaders to justice.
Speaking at the event, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the Kinahan gang is worth more than €1 billion through its criminal enterprise.
Mr Harris warned senior gang members that they can run but "can't hide from justice forever", adding that they will eventually run out of money.
Among those sanctioned by the US department of the treasury's office of foreign assets control (OFAC) were its key members, including leaders Christy Kinahan Snr, Daniel Kinahan and Christy Kinahan Jnr.
They were named as being heads of the criminal network.
Also named and sanctioned were their associates Sean McGovern, Ian Dixon, Bernard Clancy and John Morrissey.
A number of businesses were also identified as being associated with the crime gang.
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter .
