Taoiseach Simon Harris in Kirahan Cartel vows and will 'fully support Gardai' in bringing them to justice

Newly elected Taoiseach Simon Harris today vows to finally bring the leadership of the Kinahan cartel to justice

Newly elected Taoiseach Simon Harris today vows to finally bring the leadership of the Kinahan cartel to justice. In his first comments about the cartel since becoming Taoiseach, Simon Harris exclusively told The Daily Star that he will “fully support” gardai in bringing its leaders to justice.

Meanwhile, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee revealed to us that efforts are being made for this to occur during the remaining 11 months of this Government.

Their comments come as we today reveal that the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has its sights on Christy Kinahan Sr and his sons Daniel and Christopher Jr — and are expected to move before Irish authorities in lifting them from their Dubai bolthole.

Sources say the DEA has been quietly building a massive case against the Kinahan cartel, after US authorities announced crippling sanctions against its leaders two years ago — and a bounty of $15m (€14.10m) for information.

It is now understood that the DEA hopes to move against the Kinahans soon — and may even do so before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Ireland decides on whether charges should be implemented against its leaders later this year.

On the foot of this information, The Star asked the newly elected Taoiseach and Minister for Justice whether they hoped to now bring about the prosecution of the Kinahan cartel leadership within the remaining year of the coalition Government.

In response to our query, Taoiseach Harris said: “The Kinahan gang has heaped death and misery on communities across this country. The Gardai have been relentless in their pursuit.

“I fully support their work and will continue to support [Garda] Commissioner [Drew] Harris in his painstaking work to bring these criminals to justice.

“The Minister for Justice and I will remain fully briefed.”

Meanwhile, Minister for Justice McEntee, who kept her job after Harris’s reshuffle of the cabinet last week, gave strong remarks to this paper, telling us she was doing “everything possible” to bring about the prosecution of the Kinahan cartel leaders within this government term — which is due to expire in March 2025.

“It is vital that those who commit crime and spread untold misery face justice, so of course, I want to see as many members of the Kinahan gang as possible prosecuted,” she told us.

“I’m working with the Garda Commissioner to do everything possible to ensure that happens.

“Every effort possible is being made in this government term to deliver that outcome and I am working constantly to support the Garda Commissioner in this work.”

Sources say it is hoped that US authorities will move to arrest the Kinahan cartel leadership first — which would also make any future Irish case even easier for gardai to pursue.

Irish authorities privately hope that the US steps in to have the Kinahans deported from Dubai to face justice — so that any Irish arrest warrant can then be more easily implemented.

It comes as Minister McEntee is also working with authorities in the United Arab Emirates to negotiate a form of extradition treaty.

Gardai have already asked the DPP to charge mob boss Daniel Kinahan with the murder of Eddie Hutch — a brother of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch.

Taxi driver Eddie was blasted outside his home in Poplar Row in Dublin on February 8, 2016 — three days after the infamous Regency Hotel shooting that saw Kinahan cartel member David Byrne shot dead.

Officers are hoping to have Kinahan charged after it is believed he played an unprecedented hands on role in the murder of Eddie Hutch — being in one of the getaway vehicles used in the hit.

Officers also want to charge Kinahan over an attempt to murder Hutch associate James ‘Mago’ Gately.

And Gardai also want to pursue the Kinahans for directing a criminal organisation.

In the meantime, US authorities are understood to be investigating the activities of the cartel and its ties to drug shipments around the globe.

Cartel godfather Christy Kinahan Sr, who was thought to have handed the keys to his drug empire to son Daniel, has established strong business links across several continents — including Africa and South America.

Despite the sanctions, the Kinahans are believed to have continued with business as usual — transporting drugs and firearms across the globe as they expand their €1.5billion empire.

Last Thursday marked two years since the US Department of Treasury designated the Kinahans as a transnational criminal organisation — and issued crippling sanctions against them.

Not long after that the government in the United Arab Emirates froze several bank accounts and assets belonging to the Kinahans.

Since then, senior gardai, including Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, have had several meetings with the Dubai Police and other authorities in the UAE.

Last month, the Garda Commissioner gave a major speech at the World Police Summit in Dubai, in which he spoke about working with authorities around the globe to bring the Kinahan cartel to justice.

As part of the visit, Commissioner Harris also met with Dubai Police chiefs. Gardai first met them in September last year — as efforts to bring the Kinahan leaders to justice ramped up.

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