Alleged Irish organised crime figure Daniel Kinahan has been charged with directing a criminal organisation following his extradition from the United Arab Emirates to Ireland.
Kinahan, 49, appeared before Ireland’s Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Sunday night after being handed over to Irish authorities in Dubai earlier that day.
He was flown to Ireland on a government jet before being taken directly to the court for the unusual Sunday hearing, which was held under tight security.
Dressed in a black hoodie, black trousers and flip-flops, Kinahan told the three-judge court that he understood the charge. He was subsequently remanded in custody.
The court informed him that any application for bail would have to be made through the High Court.
Kinahan reportedly acknowledged that he was unlikely to be granted bail, while also apologising for not having a lawyer present. He said he had been isolated in Dubai since Friday and had not had enough time to arrange legal representation.
Armed police were stationed outside the courthouse during the hearing, while members of the public gathered nearby and recorded the arrival and departure of police vehicles.
Kinahan was arrested in Dubai in April. In 2022, the United States identified him as one of three alleged leaders of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group and offered a US$5 million (approximately RM21 million) reward for information leading to their arrests.
US authorities have described the group as a significant transnational organised crime organisation, while Irish police have previously alleged that it evolved from drug dealing in Dublin into a network operating across Europe.
However, Kinahan has previously denied allegations that he is a crime boss. A lawyer representing him told the BBC in 2021 that the allegations were false.
Kinahan had lived openly in Dubai for around a decade and had also been involved in organising high-profile boxing events before his arrest.
The justice ministers of Ireland and the UAE described him in a joint statement as one of the most high-profile individuals sought for prosecution in connection with transnational organised crime.
Kinahan is scheduled to appear before the Special Criminal Court again on October 5, either in person or through a video link.
