Kinahan cartel blow as Irish and Colombian cops strike deal to crack down on drug gangs

Colombia has long been a stronghold for Daniel Kinahan’s mob – where the cartel profited from millions of euros worth of cocaine shipped from there around the globe

08:33, 08 Sep 2026Updated 08:34, 08 Sep 2026

Irish cops have signed a historic deal with their Colombian counterparts to crack down on drugs gangs like the Kinahan cartel and its successors.

Colombia has long been a stronghold for Daniel Kinahan’s mob and the cartel profited from millions of euros worth of cocaine shipped from there around the globe.

But now gardai (Irish police) have agreed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ which they say marks a “significant milestone” in cooperation between them and the Colombian National Police in the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking.

A senior garda had previously been dispatched to Bogota in Colombia in 2020 to work in a specially sanctioned liaison post to build connections with authorities there.

Both forces have since shared intel and worked together to establish links between Irish and Colombian criminals as part of a major international crackdown on cartels. That work helped lead to 2.2 tonnes of cocaine worth roughly being seized from a ship in Irish waters in 2023.

The Irish Army Ranger Wing pulled off the daring operation off the south coast of Ireland, seizing €157 million of drugs that had originated from a Colombian cartel to benefit the likes of the Kinahans and other gangs.

Since then, alleged mob boss Daniel Kinahan was arrested and successfully extradited from the United Arab Emirates. And the Kinahan cartel’s influence on Ireland has significantly waned.

However sources say Irish gangs such as ‘The Family’ continue to try and benefit from working with foreign criminals to ship drugs in from around the world, the Irish Mirror reports.

But gardai say their continued sharing of information and this new agreement with the Colombians will only strengthen their resolve against these gangs.

In a statement issued on Monday, gardai said the new agreement “formalises existing cooperation and provides a framework for enhanced information sharing, operational collaboration, training opportunities and the exchange of best practice in tackling serious and organised crime.”

Speaking about the development, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly added: “An Garda Síochána is determined to play our part internationally in combatting the deadly and harmful impacts that transnational organised crime groups inflict on communities.

“An Garda Síochána has developed an extensive network of international Garda Liaison Officers strengthening our ties with international and local law enforcement agencies.

“As Garda Commissioner I am delighted to have signed this MoU with the Colombian National Police which is another step in demonstrating and strengthening that close international cooperation, disrupting degrading and dismantling transnational Organised Crime Groups.”

General William Oswaldo Rincón, director general of the National Police of Colombia said: “The agreement officially establishes the framework for cooperation between both institutions, enabling them to join forces in the investigation and exchange of criminal intelligence regarding transnational crime and serious offences affecting both nations.

“This historic agreement entails the activation of direct police communication channels that will allow for the real-time sharing of strategic, technical and scientific data, excluding matters of national security.

“In practice, the agreement will lead to a profound operational modernisation through joint training programs, the development of citizen security projects assisted by digital technology and the implementation of global best practices in the fight against corruption.”