A plane is on its way to Dubai for the extradition of alleged gangland leader Daniel Kinahan.

The Irish Government jet has taken off from Dublin, heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the extradition.

It comes after several months of preparations following the April arrest in Dubai of the Dublin boxing promoter who is an alleged leader of the Kinahan organised crime group.

Kinahan, aged in his late 40s, was detained on foot of an arrest warrant issued by the Irish courts in relation to alleged serious organised crime offences.

The Irish Government jet took off from Casement aerodrome in Baldonnel on the outskirts of Dublin on Saturday morning.

It is expected to touch down in Ireland on Sunday evening.

Kinahan’s arrest was carried out in accordance with a bilateral agreement on extradition between Ireland and the UAE.

The High Court in Dublin previously named Kinahan, who has recently been living in the UAE, as a senior figure in an organised crime gang involved in international drug trafficking and firearms offences.

The Kinahan cartel was involved in a feud with the rival Hutch crime gang in Ireland, which began in 2015 and resulted in 18 deaths.

In 2016, an attempt was made on Daniel Kinahan’s life at a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel in Dublin.

After that, Kinahan left Ireland, first to go to the Costa Del Sol and later settling in Dubai.

He was identified in the High Court in Dublin as a senior figure who “controlled and managed” the operations of the Kinahan organised crime group.

In 2022, US authorities issued a reward of up to five million dollars (£3.7m) for Kinahan’s arrest.

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