Kinahan crime cartel lieutenant Sean McGovern has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates in relation to a Kinahan-Hutch feud murder and for directing organised crime.
Irish authorities are seeking his extradition to Ireland, despite there being no extradition treaty between the two countries.
The Irish Examiner understands that McGovern will be brought to a court in Dubai for a judge to decided whether or not he can be lawfully extradited to Ireland – and if he can challenge any such decision.
McGovern is considered second in ranking to cartel leader Daniel Kinahan, who brought him out to Dubai.
Both are long-time friends, growing up in Crumlin and lived beside each other for many years, before fleeing abroad during the height of the feud.
McGovern and Daniel Kinahan are joined in Dubai by Daniel’s brother Christopher Junior and their dad, and cartel founder, Christy Kinahan.
The arrest marks a major breakthrough in the mammoth garda investigation into the Kinahan leadership and in securing the assistance of police and justice authorities in the UAE to make such an arrest.
Ireland has no extradition agreement with the UAE although the Department of Justice has been working on the matter for the last year.
The Irish Examiner understands that UAE authorities were not acting on a European Arrest Warrant issued in April 2022 by the Irish High Court for McGovern to face charges in Ireland, but on a recent formal request from the Department of Justice to their equivalent authority in the UAE.
It is also thought that a ‘Red Notice’ issued by Interpol, the international police organisation, also assisted in the Irish request.
A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition.
“This is a major success,” said one security source. “It’s been a long slog.” The UAE authorities have deported major criminals before, including drug lord Ridouan Taghi to the Netherlands in December 2019 and mafia boss Raffaele Imperiale to Italy in March 2022.
The men are both associates of Daniel Kinahan and were members of what the US Drug Enforcement Agency has described as a “super cartel” involving Irish, British, Bosnian, Dutch and Chilean traffickers.
As reported over a year ago, Garda efforts have been focused on Sean McGovern.
Unlike the Kinahan leaders, he is facing criminal charges, including of murder, in Ireland and has a European Arrest Warrant out against him.
McGovern is wanted in Ireland to face charges in relation to the fatal shooting of innocent man, Noel ‘Duck Egg’ Kirwan, 62, in December.
Daniel Kinahan is believed to have brought McGovern out to Dubai after that.
Gardaí have also submitted a file to the DPP in relation to Daniel Kinahan, recommending a charge of directing a criminal organisation.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris personally visited the UAE just over a year ago as part of high-level efforts to develop cooperation with police and justice authorities there.
UAE police subsequently visited the offices of the Garda Organised and Serious Crime section, including the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, which is leading the various Kinahan investigations.
