New Dubai talks, Daniel DPP files & 10yr Regency attack anniversary…latest in garda plot to bring down Kinahan cartel

‘2026 will be a significant year in advancing matters even further’
GARDAI hope 2026 will be a “significant year” in their bid to topple the Kinahan cartel and bring down its three leaders — including mob boss Daniel Kinahan.

Det Chief Supt Seamus Boland confirmed members of his Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau team recently visited the UAE and will continue talks next year.

February will mark the tenth anniversary of the Regency Hotel attack, where the Hutch crime gang tried to target Daniel Kinahan.

His close associate David Byrne was murdered instead.

The cartel’s response saw them unleash horror on the streets of Dublin, targeting anyone associated with the Hutch clan or gang.

Despite the gardai dismantling the mob’s operations here, Daniel, 48, his brother Christopher Jnr, 45, and their father Christy ‘Dapper Don’ Kinahan remain at large and are living in Dubai.

Det Chief Supt Boland said: “An Garda Siochana have given our commitment since as far back as 2016 and the murderous attack in the Regency Hotel.

“We’re coming up on the ten-year anniversary of that on February 5. So I’m very conscious of it.

“But the important thing for us was that we would pursue the decision makers, the people who were controlling the violence, who were controlling the people who were willing to carry out that violence, and we’d pursue them until we actually bring them to justice.

“That work is still ongoing.”

In an interview with RTE News, he added: “It’s still ongoing at a very, very high level. I can confirm that only in recent weeks, some of my staff have visited the UAE in relation to progressing our investigations and matters.

“And we have developed a very good and very positive relationship with our counterparts in the United Arab Emirates.

“Everybody is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

“But I’d hope that 2026, next year being the tenth anniversary of the murderous attack in the Regency Hotel, will be a significant year in advancing matters even further.”

It comes as an extradition treaty between the UAE and Ireland came into force last May.

As it stands, the Director of Public Prosecutions is examining two files in relation to Daniel Kinahan — who runs the day-to-day operations of the cartel.

One is comprehensive, with evidence on his role directing a crime gang, which has been very closely studied since mid-2023.

The second is in relation to his alleged role in the murder of Eddie Hutch, the brother of rival gang boss Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, in February 2016.

There is no timeline as to when the DPP will decide to either prosecute on the files or not.

BOUNTY HUNTED

In the US, a €13miilion bounty on the heads of the three leading members for any information that would lead to their prosecution is still available after it was first issued in April 2022.

In the meantime, Daniel and his cartel’s activities continue to cross law enforcement’s radar as the transnational group remain major facilitators in the underworld from their Dubai HQ.

The gang has forged fresh links with mobs in the Middle East, South America and Europe in the bulk movement and transportation of cocaine.

But the gang no longer holds anywhere near the influence it once had at lower levels or nationally here in Ireland.

Det Chief Supt Boland referred to its rival mob, the Hutch organised crime gang, and told how it was important to remember the group was behind the Regency attack.

Gerry Hutch was acquitted of David Byrne’s murder at the Special Criminal Court in 2023.

However, the court did find the 62-year-old was the man who was in control of the guns which were used in the killing.

Everybody is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”Det Chief Supt Boland

Mr Boland said: “The Hutch organised crime gang — I think it’s important that history isn’t allowed to be rewritten at times.

“It is the group that was behind probably the most audacious murderous attack in the history of the State, at the Regency Hotel.”

‘EFFORTS TO CORRUPT’

Hutch ran for a seat in the Dail in 2024, just missing out to Labour’s Marie Sherlock in the Dublin Central constituency.

But with former Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe stepping away from politics and a by-election due, Hutch has been hinting at running for a seat again.

Asked about this, Det Chief Supt Boland said: “These are matters that are a matter for the electorate.

“We’re apolitical and we must work with anybody, whether it’s at local level or at national level, who the decision is made by the electorate to elect people.

“But organised crime has been seen internationally in the efforts to corrupt, to corrupt at local level and corrupt at higher level.

“The threat that’s potentially from that is recognised and Ireland needs to be conscious of that.”

The void left behind by the Kinahan cartel has since been filled by The Family mob from west Dublin, who top a list of 24 “high priority” gangs currently being targeted by the GNDOCB.

It has also identified 169 organised crime gangs working throughout the country overall.

DRUG TRAFFICKING

Asked about the violence used by these groups through drug-related intimidation — such as arson and other attacks — Mr Boland said it’s been around since drug trafficking and drug abuse has taken place.

He explained: “In relation to that issue, which is what impacts most communities across the country and will impact most people at ground level from the fallout from drug abuse, An Garda Siochana recognised this as far back as 2003.

“We initiated our drug-related intimidation reporting programme then, where we have a nominated inspector in every division across the country who is there as a contact point.

“And that’s even at a confidential basis.

“We’ve always tried to get the message across to people that we understand the issues surrounding drug-related intimidation.”

He added: “Your contact with your local nominated inspector isn’t always about us bringing a prosecution to the courts or even making it known that An Garda Siochana are aware that the issues are taking place. We’ll deal confidentially with everybody and that may progress to prosecutions.”

DRUG-RELATED INTIMIDATION

He urged those experiencing issues or those being impacted by such activity to engage with the Drug Related Intimidation Violent Reporting Project, known as DRIVE.

Det Chief Supt Boland also explained data they have shows the majority of people being intimidated are females aged between 40 and 60.

But organised crime has been seen internationally in the efforts to corrupt, to corrupt at local level and corrupt at higher level.”Det Chief Supt Boland

The majority of the people who have been identified so far — who are the people who are engaging in the violence — are young males aged between 18 and 24.

Mr Boland added: “We need to know who are the people who are carrying out the intimidation.

“This is because there are a lot of actions An Garda Siochana can take to try and deal with the issue — which will not isolate or identify the people who are feeling most under threat.”