An Irish government jet carrying Daniel Kinahan is due to touch down in Dublin shortly
The suspected crime boss is being extradited from the United Arab Emirates following his arrest there in April – who is he?
A large security operation is in place, with Ireland's prison service having bought a bulletproof and bombproof van ahead of the extradition
Facilities at the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison have also been upgraded, local media report
The Kinahan cartel has been responsible for trafficking tonnes of drugs and firearms around the world for more than 20 years, according to the UK's National Crime Agency
Kinahan is expected to be charged and face Ireland's three-judge Special Criminal Court in the next few hours – his lawyer previously told the BBC that allegations about him being a crime boss are false
Edited by Craig Hoyle, with Chris Page and Gabija Gataveckaite reporting from court
An Irish government jet carrying Daniel Kinahan has just landed in Dublin as he is extradited from the United Arab Emirates.
The 49-year-old is expected to appear in court later this evening. We'll be bringing you live updates.
Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin has paid tribute to Irish and Emirati authorities for their efforts in tackling organised crime in recent years.
The premier tells national media he will not comment on any specific case in order to avoid risking prejudice for any potential outcome, but says An Garda Síochána (the Irish police) deserve "real credit" for their consistent focus on addressing the issue.
He adds: "Ireland has worked hard to develop strong partnerships at a global level because international criminal activity is global, and the connections are global, so global partnerships are essential."
Hayley Halpin
BBC News NI
Irish Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan
Justice ministers for Ireland and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are welcoming the extradition.
Ireland's Jim O'Callaghan expresses his country's "deepest appreciation" and commends the "professionalism, efficiency, and diligence demonstrated by the UAE judicial authorities throughout the extradition proceedings".
"This decision is another landmark of judicial cooperation between the two countries and reflects the strength of our partnership to address transnational organised crime," O'Callaghan adds.
His Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, reaffirms the UAE's commitment "to enhance our judicial partnerships with the international community".
Gabija Gataveckaite
Dublin correspondent
It will be here at Baldonnel Airport where we are expecting Daniel Kinahan to arrive soon.
This airport is mostly used by the Irish military. Daniel Kinahan is being escorted by gardaí (police) as well as a number of other Irish officials.
He is on board the Falcon X6 which is the new Irish government jet.
The jet left Baldonnel Airport yesterday; it made its way to Dubai, spent overnight there and it is now on its way back.
We are seeing images of Irish gardaí (police) outside Casement Aerodrome in County Dublin, where Daniel Kinahan is due to arrive shortly.
A police helicopter is also flying above the airport.
Here's a quick refresher:
Daniel Kinahan, 49, is the son of Christopher "Christy" Kinahan, known to have created what became known as the Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG) in the 1990s.
In 2018, the Irish High Court accepted police evidence that the KOCG was an international crime group and that its drug operations were controlled by Daniel Kinahan – allegations his lawyer has denied.
Kinahan also had ties to the world of sport via his now defunct boxing management company MTK Global. The company became known as a serious professional base for boxers, representing more than 100 boxers including Tyson Fury and Carl Frampton.
In 2022, the US State Department offered a reward of up to $5m (£3.7m) for information leading to Kinahan's arrest and/or conviction for his alleged participation "in transnational organised crime, namely narcotics trafficking and money laundering".
A wanted poster of the suspected crime boss now appears on the State Department's website with the word "captured" superimposed in the foreground.
An Irish government jet carrying suspected Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan is expected to land in Dublin soon following his extradition from Dubai.
He is accused of being a senior figure in a crime cartel involved in international drug trafficking, and is also accused of firearms offences – allegations his lawyer has previously denied.
Kinahan was arrested in Dubai under a warrant issued by the Irish courts in April, and his attempts to fight extradition were unsuccessful.
It's expected he will be charged immediately on arrival and then brought by gardaí (police) to appear before the non-jury, three judge Special Criminal Court on Sunday evening.
A large-scale security operation is planned for his expected arrival at Basement Aerodrome in Baldonnell, with facilities at the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison further upgraded, Irish broadcaster RTÉ reports.
Kinahan and other members of his family have been accused of being leaders of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG) – which the US says has been involved in drug trafficking, gun trafficking and murder.
We'll bring you live updates on this page.
Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
About the Author
