Captured Irish gangland boss Daniel Kinahan was on the 'board' of a super-cartel controlling the world's cocaine trade, Colombia's president claims

By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 11:10, 7 May 2026 | Updated: 11:10, 7 May 2026 Colombia's president has claimed Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan was part of an international network allegedly controlling the global cocaine trade after his arrest in Dubai. President Gustavo Petro made the allegation in a post on X after Kinahan was detained on Irish extradition warrants linked to alleged organised crime offences. Petro claimed the alleged multinational mafia organisation was responsible for buying cocaine produced in Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, while laundering money through gold trading in the United States and the United Arab Emirates. In the social media post, the Colombian leader said Kinahan was linked to the Gulf Clan cartel in Dubai and claimed his capture proved the existence of the international criminal network. He alleged the organisation worked with armed groups including the Gulf Clan, dissident FARC factions and other narcotrafficking gangs operating in Colombia.  Petro also accused prosecutors linked to former attorney general Francisco Barbosa and former acting prosecutor Martha Mancera of allowing members of the alleged network to continue operating. The Colombian president claimed the group's activities were centred in the heart of Colombia, including Bogotá, and said its origins were linked to emerald mining operations allegedly controlled through frontmen. Colombia's president has claimed arrested Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan (pictured) was part of an international network allegedly controlling the global cocaine trade Kinahan, 48, was arrested in the United Arab Emirates under warrants issued by the Irish courts in relation to alleged serious organised crime offences. The alleged cartel boss and his father, Christy Kinahan Sr, have been based in Dubai since 2016 after fleeing Spain in the wake of the Regency Hotel shooting in Dublin, which sparked a bloody gang war. Dubai authorities confirmed they had arrested an 'Irish fugitive tied to transnational organised crime' in April following a request from Ireland.  Irish police said the arrest was carried out under a bilateral extradition agreement between Ireland and the UAE. The crime boss-turned-boxing promoter has previously been named by Ireland's High Court as 'a senior figure in organised crime on a global scale', while Ireland's Criminal Assets Bureau has identified him as the controller of the Kinahan cartel.   The cartel has long been accused of trafficking drugs and weapons across Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe, and has been embroiled in a violent feud with the Hutch gang that left 18 people dead. One senior garda told the Daily Mail: 'This is a major, major coup. The warrants were obtained in the High Court. 'The gardaí had gone to the High Court after a decision was made to charge Kinahan in connection with serious organised crime offences. 'The extradition was sought from the High Court here. He was arrested based on the Irish warrants. So, arrest warrants were then issued over there for him… I know the Americans wanted him, too, but it's Ireland he's destined for.' The source added: 'It was a personal drive from Justin Kelly, who is now the Garda Commissioner – he was previously Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime and never let up in the hunt for the Kinahans. 'Ultimately, though, it was the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, under Detective Chief Superintendent Séamus Boland who must get a lot of the credit for this. 'Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis never gave up the hunt for the Kinahans, either. 'And we cannot forget our former Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll who was instrumental in getting the Americans involved. Sadly, John died shortly after his retirement and didn't get to see Kinahan arrested before he died.' The government of Dubai confirmed in a statement that it had, in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Interior, 'arrested an Irish fugitive for his alleged role in an international organised crime network'. 'The arrest comes as part of efforts to combat cross-border crime,' it said. It continued: 'The arrest followed the receipt of a judicial file from Irish authorities detailing the suspect's alleged crimes and his involvement in an international criminal organisation. 'Based on the file, Dubai Public Prosecution issued an arrest warrant to initiate legal procedures ahead of his extradition. 'Specialised teams immediately launched intensive search and surveillance operations, leading to the suspect's capture within 48 hours of the warrant being issued. 'Dubai Police confirmed that the arrest took place on April 15, reflecting the force's rapid response and operational readiness in handling international cases.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.