A recent report has highlighted the importance of international cooperation as authorities from Dublin and Dubai collaborate to combat crime.

This week in Dublin, senior officials from Dubai’s police joined forces with Ireland’s An Garda Siochana, strengthening their alliance against the notorious Kinahan crime syndicate.

After a formal invitation from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to Dubai’s Police Commander, the delegation arrived in the Irish capital. The Kinahan group, operating partly from Dubai, was recently implicated in Ireland’s largest-ever cocaine haul near Co Cork’s coast.

Commissioner Harris commented: ‘These organised crime gangs cause misery not only in the countries they originate from but across the globe. It is only through international cooperation among law enforcement that these gangs will be disrupted and dismantled.’ He went on to acknowledge the efforts of the Departments of Justice and Foreign Affairs.

In the previous year, the US offered rewards of up to $15 million for valuable information on three prominent Kinahan cartel members: Christy Kinahan Senior and his sons, Christy Kinahan Jr and Daniel Kinahan. Concurrently, the US Treasury Department identified seven individuals as the cartel’s main operatives.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee recently discussed potential legal collaborations with the United Arab Emirates’ Justice Minister. Following Harris’s Dubai visit, McEntee emphasised the government’s commitment to combating organised crime, saying, ‘Tackling organised crime is a key priority for Government and is central to building safer, stronger communities.’

She further highlighted the pivotal role of Garda Liaison Officers in fostering international police cooperation, asserting that borders will ‘not be barriers’ to practical criminal justice cooperation.

This week’s meeting follows a similar event in early September when Commissioner Harris visited senior police officers in Dubai.