Kinahan has been in custody in Dubai since April last year after being arrested on the basis of an Irish warrant. His attempts to prevent his extradition have now been exhausted after his final legal challenge was unsuccessful.
Irish authorities are preparing for his return, with Kinahan expected to face allegations relating to the direction of an organised crime group.
The Government’s new Dassault Falcon 6X took off from Baldonnel this morning and is scheduled to reach the UAE later today. The aircraft is expected to return with Kinahan tomorrow.
Once back in Ireland, he is expected to be brought before the Special Criminal Court, where he will face the next stage of the legal process.
Authorities are preparing for a substantial security operation around his arrival and subsequent transfer. Members of An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and the Irish Prison Service are expected to play roles in the arrangements.
The Irish Prison Service has also taken steps to improve its ability to transport prisoners regarded as posing a particularly high security risk. A heavily protected escort vehicle capable of withstanding both ballistic and explosive threats has recently been acquired for the transportation of individuals including alleged gang figures, terrorists and other high-risk inmates.
Additional work has also been carried out at Portlaoise Prison, one of the State’s maximum-security facilities.
Kinahan’s imminent return follows a lengthy extradition process that began after his arrest in Dubai and continued through several stages of legal appeals. With those challenges now concluded, attention has turned to the practical arrangements required to bring him before the Irish courts.
