The suspected Irish mob boss was apprehended in Dubai following years on the run after Emirati police closed in following a 48-hour surveillance sting
Daniel Kinahan’s “arrogance” lulled him into a false sense of security before a 48-hour sting operation led to his arrest in Dubai last week, insiders claim.
According to the Mail the suspected Irish mob boss was “blindsided”, believing the money he’d allegedly “splashed” around the United Arab Emirates would mean he was tipped off in advance of any moves against him.
Kinahan – on the run for years – was arrested on a warrant issued by an Irish court in relation to allegations of running an organised gang. Kinahan, 48, and his father Christy Kinahan Sr. had been living in Dubai since 2016 after fleeing the Costa del Sol in Spain.
The pair had initially travelled to the continent following the infamous Regency Hotel attack that sparked a bloody gang war in their homeland of Ireland.
A senior security source claimed Kinahan invested “big money” into UAE contacts and he believed this would lead to him being tipped off before he got nicked.
They told the Mail: “Because they had so much money splashed around the place, they thought they were important and would be tipped off. But that is totally not true, so they were blindsided.”
Reports confirmed Kinahan’s arrest came as a result of co-operation between Irish gardai police and Dubai Emirati officials.
“They didn’t know it was coming at all,” a source familiar with the operation said. “They were under surveillance for a few days prior to them [the Dubai police] getting their own warrant to arrest him. It is unbelievable, phenomenal.
“The charge is for directing an organised crime gang and that will put him behind bars for a long time, but they may get a murder charge yet.
“It’s probably one of the biggest criminal justice outcomes with organised and serious crime in the state’s history. It’s unprecedented. I’d say they’re in complete shock.”