Welcome to Dubai: Kinahan Cartel’s Visas Revealed

Bellingcat and The Sunday Times have revealed that Christopher Kinahan Jr, son of the Kinahan cartel founder, just renewed his residence permit in Dubai despite being a sanctioned individual with a five million dollar US reward on his head. The cartel is one of the world's most powerful transnational crime groups—worth one point five billion dollars and involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, and arms smuggling. The US sanctioned the cartel's senior leadership in twenty twenty-two; the UAE claimed it had banned them from doing business and frozen hundreds of millions in assets. Bellingcat's investigation of public UAE immigration records shows that Kinahan Jr's permit, renewed just two weeks ago, is one of at least two active residence permits held by sanctioned cartel members in Dubai. Other sanctioned leaders have expired permits, technically living in the country illegally and facing substantial fines. Two cartel figures have already been arrested or extradited; another awaits extradition to Ireland. The findings raise significant questions about enforcement of international sanctions against some of the world's most wanted organized crime leaders.

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