The Justice Minister has expressed satisfaction with the progress of the ongoing investigation into notorious mob boss Daniel Kinahan. Kinahan is an Irish criminal figure who has been linked to a number of high-profile crimes, including the infamous murder of Irish boxer Gary Hutch. The investigation into Kinahan’s activities has been ongoing for several years, with officials from various law enforcement agencies working tirelessly to uncover the full extent of his criminal network. While there is still much work to be done, the Justice Minister’s recent comments suggest that significant progress has been made in this important case.
According to Justice Minister Simon Harris, significant progress has been made in the investigation into Daniel Kinahan, the boss of the Kinahan cartel. Speaking at the annual conference of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors in Galway, Harris stated that he was “extraordinarily proud” of the Gardaí’s work with international partners in relation to this case. It has been almost a year since the DEA, Gardaí, and the United States Treasury Department announced sanctions against Christy Kinahan and his sons Daniel and Christy Jr. The US government offered a $15M reward for any information that would lead to the Kinahans’ prosecution.
Kinahan is said to be still in Dubai, where they are set to permanently install a Garda Superintendent. The United Arab Emirates also announced sanctions against Kinahan and froze bank accounts in connection with them.
Harris was also asked about his proposal to grant Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) new powers to stop mobsters from launching non-stop legal battles against the seizure of their assets deemed to be the proceeds of crime. The proposed law would prevent anyone from taking constant legal cases like mob boss John Gilligan, who did for twenty years.
Regarding the new law, Harris stated that the general scheme will go to cabinet in June, and he expects the legislation to pass in 2024. He hopes to have it legally in place by next year. The new law would prevent criminals from delaying the inevitable of an asset being taken, all the while continuing to live in a mansion or keep an asset they have no right to despite a court order.
Under the proposed legislation, a receiver would be appointed, and once the court has decided on an order, the receiver would be in charge of the asset, not the criminal. The time limit for assets to be disposed of will be reduced to two years from seven years. The aim is to take assets more quickly and make sure that spurious complaints and court cases do not go on for years and years.
“The Criminal Assets Bureau has been extraordinarily successful, a world leader in getting ill-gotten gains off really serious criminals in this country. Other countries have looked at how we have done it and wanted to replicate that, but we can’t be complacent. And I think there are two issues that primarily need to be fixed,” Harris said, explaining how the scheme works.
In conclusion, significant progress has been made in the investigation into Daniel Kinahan, with the involvement of the DEA and international partners. The proposal to give Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) new powers aims to enable them to seize assets deemed to be the proceeds of crime, without being delayed by court cases taken by criminals. The proposed law would appoint a receiver to be in charge of the asset, not the criminal, and aim to take assets more quickly. Reducing the time limit to dispose of assets from seven to two years aims to ensure that criminals who engage in spurious complaints and court cases for years do not enjoy the assets they have no right to keep.
