Inside Daniel Kinahan’s dramatic extradition and prime safety court docket look
The plane carrying Daniel Kinahan from Dubai was the most tracked flight in the world as it approached Ireland on Sunday.
The alleged cartel boss was brought to face court onboard the Government jet, which is a Dassault Falcon 6X. Flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed it was the most followed flight in the world at the time.
Once he was off the plane, he was whisked to the Criminal Courts of Justice where he appeared before a judge accused of being the leader of a billion euro drug cartel. Here, we take a look inside the extraordinary extradition and court appearance.
Kinahan was arrested in Dubai, where he lived a champagne lifestyle
April arrest
Kinahan, one of the world’s most wanted men, was arrest in a sensational swoop in April in Dubai, where he had been holed up for almost a decade after he was the subject of a failed assassination attempt.
He had led European, US and Gulf authorities on a global game of cat and mouse after being named as the suspected kingpin of a supercartel said to control about a third of Europe’s cocaine supply, along with running criminal sidelines in firearms and racketeering.
Crowds waiting for the jet to land(Image: Damien Eagers/PA Wire)
In Dubai, he ran a successful boxing business and lived the highlife with wife Caoimhe Robinson. They were said to have been the ultimate power couple and lived in a jaw-dropping seven-bedroom mega-mansion on Dubai’s famous Palm Jumeirah resort.
A 200-pagedossier detailing allegations against Daniel Kinahan was reported to have been handed to UAE prosecutors before his shock arrest. It told how the cartel he allegedly leads was involved in murders, kill bids, gun and drug offences and money laundering.
A source said at the time: “If the prosecutors in the UAE weren’t satisfied with the level of evidence presented to them it’s possible Kinahan might not have been arrested.” UAE authorities rejected his appeal last month, clearing the way for extradition.
Security officers stand guard at Casement Aerodrome where Kinahan was flown into(Image: BARRY CRONIN/EPA/Shutterstock)
Flight fight
After months of speculation and legal challenges, it was reported on Saturday that the operation to bring Kinahan back to Ireland was finally set to get under way.
The Irish Mirror and Star’s brilliant crime correspondents Paul Healy and Michael O’Toole reported the Irish Air Corps’ €53million Dassault Falcon 6X wad due to take off early that morning. It actually took off at 10.30am that morning.
The jet, which is usually used to transport ministers, took off from Dubai at 10.20am Irish time on Sunday and flew direct to Dublin, landing at Casement Aerodrome airport in Baldonnel at 6.30pm. At one point more than 43,000 were tracking it on FlightRadar24.
The Irish government jet was the most tracked flight in the world on Sunday(Image: Damien Eagers/PA Wire)
Touch Dan
Once on Irish soil, Kinahan was arrested on the tarmac by Detective Sergeant Colin Davidson of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau at 6.49pm.
He was then taken under heavy armed escort straight to the Criminal Courts of Justice on Parkgate Street, where he arrived at 7.10pm.
He was brought into the basement area of the CCJ where he remained until he was brought to a holding cell just before the sitting got underway.
Armed cops were at the court(Image: Mark Marlow/PA Wire)
Ring of Steel
As the eyes of the world watched events unfold on rolling news coverage, crowds began to gather outside the court. Social media video showed around 100 people lining the streets as Kinahan was driven to the court in a police convoy.
His transfer to court was a huge security operation, with armed cops escorting him and positioned at the building. Even undercover cops were seen wearing body armour as they scanned the court room before Kinahan was brought in.
Ahead of the extradition, the Irish Prison Service bought a bulletproof and bombproof van which can be used to escort prisoners who are considered high-risk.
Large crowds of press and public gathered at the court(Image: Damien Eagers/PA Wire)
However, as it happened on a Sunday, armed cops were drafted in. It is expected the bombproof van will be used to transport him to court during his trial.
Speaking on the Shattered Lives podcast, seasoned journalist Paul Healy said: “I’ve never seen that where they came out and they scanned the entire room. They looked at all of us.
“They looked at every single person in the room in the minutes before Kinahan was brought out because they were in the moment assessing the threat. I’ve not experienced that before.”
Kinahan was sped away under armed guard(Image: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)
Dan and dusted
Kinahan was finally brought before the court at 8.09pm and left at 8.23pm. He was charged with directing the activities of a criminal organisation between October 18, 2015 and April 6, 2017. He did not have to enter a plea at this stage of the court process.
Kinahan, dressed in a black hoody, did not have legal representation and told the court that he did not have time to arrange this. However, he appeared to find the time to speak to podcaster James English from his jail cell in Dubai before being flown home.
A shell-shocked Kinahan was pictured in the back of a police car being sped away from court(Image: Mark Marlow/PA Wire)
A judge told Kinahan that an application for bail would have to be made to the high court due to the severity of the charge. Kinahan said: “I understand. I think we know I won’t be getting bail, but thank you.”
After the brief hearing, he was again back in armed police custody and sped away 50 miles outside the city to his new home in Portlaoise prison, where he will likely stay on remand ahead of his trial.
Kinahan has always denied any criminal involvement. His lawyer previously told BBC Panorama that he has no criminal record or convictions and allegations about him being a crime boss are false and have no evidential basis.
