WANTED gangster Daniel Kinahan’s time as a free man is running out.
New Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan revealed the Government is moving swiftly to capture and extradite the mobster back from Dubai.
The Fianna Fail TD is hoping to wrap up an extradition agreement with the United Arab Emirates within weeks.
He said: “Officials in my department are currently liaising with counterparts in the UAE to advance all further ratification procedures in both jurisdictions, with a view to ensuring that the treaties are brought into force at the earliest opportunity.”
The Minister has told Cabinet colleagues the dismantling of the cartel is one of his top priorities.
Boss Daniel, his dad Christy and brother Christopher Jnr have been hiding out in Dubai since 2017.
The thugs have been living between various locations in the UAE, where they own a number of businesses, and are protected by a team of Russian bodyguards.
Once the extradition agreement becomes active, arrested cartel chief Sean McGovern will be the first sent packing.
He is wanted for the murder of Noel Kirwan, who was killed in the Kinahan-Hutch feud in December 2016.
McGovern was arrested last year in the UAE as part of the investigation.
A Government insider said they will then go after Daniel and Co.
The source told us: “There are warrants outstanding for the three Kinahans and we hope to move against them within weeks. We are near the end game with the new extradition agreement.”
Gardai fear the Kinahans, who are subject to an international flight ban, will try to flee Dubai for either Russia or Iran to avoid being captured.
Mobster Daniel, 47, is currently a “person of interest” in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Eddie Hutch on February 8, 2016.
And he’s also suspected by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau of “directing the activities” of a criminal organisation.
At present, two extensive files on both cases are being examined by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
