Detention will disrupt flow of drugs into State, gardaí believe - The Irish Times - Mon, May 31, 2010: "Kinahan has been based on the Costa del Sol since late 2001, when he was released from a prison term in Ireland for handling stolen travellers’ cheques. He immediately established contacts with major international drug cartels in Spain, sourcing vast quantities of mostly cocaine and cannabis from them.
The drugs were then shipped to Ireland hidden in trucks, owned by “front” food export companies controlled by Kinahan, that travelled from the continent to Ireland and the UK by car ferry. The drugs were then sold on to local gangs.
The operation came crashing down last Tuesday when 700 police officers in Ireland, Spain and the UK arrested 32 suspects during co-ordinated raids. Property, valued at at least €650 million, has now been identified in Brazil, Spain, the UK, Dubai, South Africa, Belgium, Ireland and the UK.
The properties in Brazil include six significant leisure complexes valued at €500 million.
Some 60 properties linked to the Kinahan gang have already been frozen in Spain. Gardaí believe Kinahan controlled a network of 30 front companies through which he transported and distributed drugs across Ireland and the UK and then laundered the proceeds by buying property."
