Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG)

Not an FTONo U.S. State Department Foreign Terrorist Organization designation as of November 14, 2026

Profile Overview //

Threat Tier

Tier 2 - Transnational / Professionalized

Volatility Index

VI-4 - Unstable

Organization Type

Clan / Family Network

Operational Status

Degraded

Designation Status

US OFAC sanctions (other authority)

FTO Designation

Designation Detail

CONFIRMED: The U.S. sanctioned Daniel Kinahan in 2022 for drug smuggling and money laundering (ICIJ). REPORTED: The UAE froze some assets of cartel members in 2022. The group is not designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. State Department as of November 12, 2026.

Area of Operation

Europe, Middle East & North Africa (MENA)

Specific AOR

REPORTED: Ireland, Spain and the UAE (Dubai). REPORTED: Hutch-Kinahan feud shootings in both Ireland and Spain. DATA DEFICIT: Operations in the Netherlands and Latin America are not described in our sources.

Force Strength

DATA DEFICIT: No sourced figure.

Leadership

CONFIRMED: Daniel Kinahan, described as a leader, was arrested in Dubai in April 2026 and extradited to Ireland (date not given). REPORTED: Christopher Kinahan Sr., described as the founder, also settled in Dubai; Irish police were reported in October 2026 to be tracking his whereabouts after his UAE visa expired. REPORTED: Sean McGovern, described as Daniel's closest adviser, was extradited from Dubai to Ireland in May 2025. Other named associates (Christopher Kinahan Jr., Bernard Clancy, Ian Dixon) are REPORTED.

Headquarters

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (historical base)

Coordinates

25.2048, 55.2708

Operational Monikers

Kinahan Organised Crime Group, KOCG, Kinahan Cartel

Last Verified

2026-11-12

Operational Brief //

CommandEleven Intelligence Desk // Transnational Organized Crime Desk, status as of November 12, 2026

Bottom Line Up Front. The Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG) is an Irish-origin criminal organization that grew from a Dublin enterprise in the 1990s into an international cocaine and money-laundering network. The U.S. sanctioned Daniel Kinahan in 2022. Daniel Kinahan was arrested in Dubai in April 2026 on an Irish court warrant and has since been extradited to Ireland, where he faces charges including directing a criminal organization. We assess that his removal may cause power struggles but is unlikely to change the European cocaine market much, because the network is fluid and already fragmented.

What We Could Not Source. The full charge sheet, the extradition date, the group's finances and asset locations, and who will fill any leadership gap. Reports give the arrest date as April 15 or April 17, 2026.

History, Goals and Doctrine //

Operational History

CONFIRMED: Grew from a Dublin enterprise in the 1990s under Christy Kinahan, expanded by Daniel. REPORTED: Daniel moved to Dubai after a 2016 assassination attempt at Dublin's Regency Hotel. REPORTED: The group is blamed for at least 20 murders across Ireland, Spain and Europe. CONFIRMED: U.S. sanctions in April 2022. CONFIRMED: Arrest in Dubai in April 2026 on an Irish court warrant, then extradition to Ireland; a hearing was adjourned on October 5, 2026.

Operational Goals

ASSESSED: Keep cocaine distribution and laundering running while the leadership is under legal pressure.

Ideology

None. Profit-driven criminal enterprise.

Org Doctrine

Family-led network that works with other European cocaine groups.

Regional Command

DATA DEFICIT: Command structure beyond named family members is not publicly mapped.

Operational Signature

Cocaine and heroin trafficking, money laundering through companies in Dubai and Spain, and influence through professional boxing (REPORTED by ICIJ).

Flashpoint

CONFIRMED: April 2026 arrest of Daniel Kinahan in Dubai and his extradition to Ireland.

Primary Adversaries

Irish, Spanish and UAE law enforcement; U.S. Treasury; rival Irish criminal factions (Hutch group).

Terror Group Links //

Link Nature

Logistical / Smuggling

Evidence Tier

DATA DEFICIT

Link Evidence

DATA DEFICIT: We found no sourced link between the Kinahan group and a terrorist group. U.S. sanctions are criminal-finance tools, not terrorism findings.

Capabilities and Finance //

Weaponry Focus

Small Arms (Pistols/Rifles)

Technology Profile

DATA DEFICIT: No sourced assessment. We do not publish technical specifics.

Financial Vectors

Narcotics TraffickingReal EstateProtection Money / Extortion

Spatial Profile

Dubai, southern Spain and Ireland.

Cyber Assessment

DATA DEFICIT: No sourced information.

Governance and Control //

Territorial Controllers

DATA DEFICIT: Plaza-level controllers are not publicly mapped.

Administrative Responsibility

ASSESSED: Cocaine distribution management and laundering through front companies.

Administrative HQ

DATA DEFICIT: Not publicly confirmed.

Command Table

DATA DEFICIT: No sourced information.

Court Registry

CONFIRMED: Daniel Kinahan faces charges including directing a criminal organization in Ireland (hearing adjourned October 5, 2026). Sean McGovern extradited to Ireland in May 2025.

Disruption Vector Matrix //

Logistical Vulnerability

Dependence on European cocaine import routes and partner groups.

Logistic Strategy

Port and shipping enforcement with European partners.

Financial Vulnerability

Dubai and Spanish property and company holdings.

Financial Strategy

Asset tracing, freezes and forfeiture proceedings.

Leadership Vulnerability

The alleged leader is in Irish custody and the founder’s whereabouts are being tracked.

Leadership Strategy

Pursue remaining leaders and money launderers abroad.

Disruption Strategy

Prosecution of the leadership, asset tracing in Dubai and Spain, and continued UAE-European extradition cooperation.

Threat Matrix //

Operational Threat

3 - Medium (Regional Network)

ASSESSED: Moderate. A significant European cocaine and laundering network under heavy legal pressure.

Kinetic Capability

2 - Low (Basic SALW/Sabotage)

ASSESSED: Low to moderate, with a record of targeted killings during feuds.

Logistical Resilience

3 - Medium (Localized Taxation/Smuggling Links)

ASSESSED: Moderate. Fluid structure makes the network resilient to individual arrests.

Information Influence

2 - Low (Localized Printed/Audio Leaflets)

ASSESSED: Low to moderate. Used sport sponsorship and boxing promotion for influence.

Analytical Note //

Analytical Note

ASSESSED: Analysts see the arrest as a step, not an end. Watch for power struggles, renewed violence, and further extraditions from the UAE.