Sean McGovern, alleged Kinahan gang member, extradited from UAE to Ireland

A man alleged to be a key player in the Kinahan Organised Crime Group has been extradited from the UAE to Ireland.

Sean McGovern, named in Ireland’s courts as a member of the criminal gang, landed in Dublin on Thursday evening, having flown on an Irish military aircraft.

Mr McGovern was then charged with murder during a special sitting of Ireland's special criminal court.

He also was charged with several other offences including directing a crime organisation.

Dubai Police arrested Mr McGovern in October 2024 and he has remained in custody since.

While Jim O’Callaghan, Ireland's Minister for Justice, did not name Mr McGovern directly, he welcomed news of an extradition and described it as “further evidence of the excellent criminal justice co-operation” Ireland and the UAE.

“In recent years, the UAE and Ireland have worked together to advance criminal investigations into serious and organised crime,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“That strong co-operation was further strengthened by the decision to deploy a Garda Liaison Officer to Abu Dhabi last year and the negotiation of bilateral treaties on extradition and mutual legal assistance, both of which entered into force on Sunday, May 18.”

Mr O’Callaghan added that these developments resulted from the tireless work of law enforcement in Ireland and the UAE.

“I would particularly like to acknowledge and thank my counterpart, the Emirati Minister of Justice, Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, and his senior officials in the Ministry of Justice, along with the Dubai Police, for their continuing engagement and commitment to strengthening judicial and police-to-police co-operation on criminal matters in our efforts to combat the global threat of organised crime,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

Mr McGovern was detained in Dubai in 2024 following an Interpol red notice. It is believed he had been contesting the extradition.

Interpol described Mr McGovern as “one of Ireland's most wanted fugitives” and said the red notice was published to support the continuing collaboration between the Irish and UAE authorities.

It also confirmed that Mr McGovern is wanted for charges including murder and directing an organised crime group.

Additionally, Mr McGovern was one of the seven senior figures in the Kinahan group named and placed under sanctions by US authorities. In 2022, the UAE froze assets related to the group.

Ireland’s minister for justice at the time, Helen McEntee, visited the UAE in October last year to sign the extradition and mutual assistance treaties between both countries. It came just after Mr McGovern was detained.

In an interview with The National during the visit, Ms McEntee declined to comment on individual cases but said anyone who thinks they can “inflict misery” at home and then move away and live with impunity is mistaken.

“My objective and our government objective is to make sure that, irrespective of where you go, we can bring you back home to face justice at home,” Ms McEntee said.

“I think this certainly tightens the net … and I think it sends a very clear message. This really will apply to everybody and I hope it sends a very strong message to everybody that they won't be able to disobey the law.”

Ms McEntee said the McGovern case, while again not wanting to get into specifics, had already started and so did not fall under the extradition treaty.

Ireland's justice department also on Friday said the extradition was the result of a "reciprocal agreement separate to the recently ratified treaties on extradition and mutual legal assistance".

RTE reported that Mr McGovern is the first person to be extradited to Ireland from the UAE.

The Kinahan gang are believed to one of the most powerful organised crime groups in Ireland.