Alleged Irish organized crime leader Daniel Kinahan has returned to Ireland following his extradition from Dubai to face charges of directing an international drug network.
Kinahan, 49, is accused of running an international drug trafficking and money laundering empire with operations in the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States.
An Irish military aircraft carrying Kinahan was scheduled to land on Sunday afternoon at an airport outside Dublin, Irish media reported. The extradition proceeded after a Dubai court rejected a legal challenge to block his transfer.
Upon arrival, Kinahan will be taken directly to the Special Criminal Court in Dublin to face charges of directing an organized crime group, according to Irish public broadcaster RTÉ. He will subsequently be held at Portlaoise Prison, a maximum-security facility located approximately 145 kilometers southwest of Dublin.
Security deployment for court appearance
Irish media reported that authorities deployed a major security operation to guarantee Kinahan appears before the court. The deployment involves armed police officers, personnel from the Armed Forces, and officers from the prison service.
The prison service recently acquired an explosives-armored escort vehicle specifically designed to transport high-risk prisoners, organized crime suspects, and terrorists, RTÉ reported.
