Crime World

Behind the mask of a suburban dad in the English Midlands, Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh reigned as the brutal “European CEO” of the billion-euro Kinahan cartel, orchestrating international drug shipments from his fortified mansion.  Our new series chronicles his bloody rise and dramatic downfall, beginning in the Ipswich courtroom where authorities dismantled his empire, stripping away the luxury...

The rise and fall of the Kinahan Cartel boss Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh is an extraordinary tale of violence, power, and ambition. This week, Crime World is posting a special nine-part podcast series The Science of Fear: Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh and his Brutal Reign as Daniel Kinahan’s Right-Hand Man. Today, as we launch our week-long special, Nicola talks to Niall Donald about what is next for Bomb...

As war rages on the streets of Dublin, Kinahan re-invents himself as an international aviation broker in Dubai. He uses the legitimate business world to try and take over Africa’s lucrative cocaine corridors - flying shipments of drugs through the continent on private planes. But his attempts to disguise his past hit a major snag when the US government puts a $5 million bounty on his head. Christy...

With his father Christy Snr locked up in Belgium for money laundering, Daniel takes control of the cartel’s drug dealing operation. After he is released, Christy is determined to stay out of jail and moves to the new gangster’s paradise in Dubai. The outbreak of the Hutch-Kinahan feud would see him play a key role in the cartel’s propaganda operation for the comfort of the Gulf State. Christy Kina...

When elite Spanish cops bust through the doors of Christy Kinahan’s villa in 2010, his days as one of the Europe’s richest drug lords look numbered. Operation Shovel was set up to dismantle the Kinahan Cartel, who had spread their tentacles across Europe. But despite the publicity, the continent-wide policing operation failed to stop the Dapper Don’s slick cocaine trafficking mob. Christy Kinahan:...

As the Kinahan Cartel expands in power and reach, Christy Snr comes to garda attention when he splashes the cash in Ireland for his son’s wedding. With increased police attention focused on the Kinahan gang in the Netherlands, the Irish mob relocate to the Costa Del Sol where they openly live the high life in Marbella. Christy Kinahan: The Dapper Don was originally released as a subscriber-only se...

With the explosion of ecstasy and rave culture in the 90s, Kinahan and Cunningham relocated their trafficking operation to Amsterdam. However, their multi-million euro smuggling operation attracted the attention of Dutch police, who launched a major surveillance operation. Christy Snr now starts to rely on a crew of young and volatile criminals recruited by his son Daniel. Christy Kinahan: The Dap...

Raised in a middle-class family home in Cabra, as a young man Christy Kinahan showed little signs that he would become one of the world's most infamous crime bosses. But when the heroin epidemic struck Dublin, Kinahan was one of a new breed of criminal who saw an opportunity to get rich.  While serving Portlaoise Prison, he struck up a friendship with veteran armed robber John Cunningham and...

He's called the Dapper Don and has lived up to his name as an international panama hat wearing sophisticat of the underworld. This week in a special six-part series, Crime World traces the life and crimes of Chris Kinahan - the founder and head of the Kinahan Cartel. Nicola talks with Niall Donald about the series and about what could be next for the Dapper Don. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

A target for the Criminal Assets Bureau who has been on the run in the UK has been jailed for a burglarly spree in London. Gary Ward is alleged by CAB to be a leading member of a Galway city-based drug dealing gang that exploits addicts to transport drugs. Niall Donald talks to Eamon Dillon about how the law has finally caught up with Ward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...

A gangster-turned-rapper has vowed to release a new track - just days after being convicted of running a 'drugs supermarket.' Dean Thornton was sentenced last week after he was caught running a drug dealing cell for one of Drogheda feuding crime gangs. Niall talks to Eimear Rabbitt how Thornton's legal problems are providing lyrical content for his music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

A new video has emerged of the moment OnlyFans model Madison Allen was slashed in the face in Spain leaving her with shocking facial injuries. Madison Allen - who is married to the John George murder suspect Johnny Smyth - can be seen being cuddling with a man just moments before she is slashed with a blade. Niall speaks to Crime World's Steven Moore about Madison's initial claim that she was...

A government committee has controversially called for the full decriminalisation of drugs possession for personal use in Ireland. But within hours of the committee making the recommendation, it was met with fierce opposition from the Tánaiste and the gardai. Niall speaks to Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice in Maynooth University Dr Cian Ó Concubhair about the report and his own experience o...

Cash seized from a childhood pal of cartel boss Daniel Kinahan is finally to be handed over to the State - ten years after after gardai impounded it during a raid. The money was found in Jeremy Skerritt's home at the height of Kinahan-Hutch feud and led to the discovery of infamous Dutch criminal in a safehouse in Dublin. Niall talks to Eamon Dillon about how he first spotted Kinahan and Skerritt...

The Corkwoman who groped a teenager in a Malaguf sauna, Conor McGregor's controversial Jimmy Fallon chat, Ireland's most dangerous prisoner and how Steven Lyons' extradition could affect the Kinahans. Niall speaks to Eimear Rabbitt about the stories that caught our readers' eyes this week.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The self-confessed ‘beast of all sex beasts’ who threatened to kidnap, rape, torture, and murder young women and girls has walked free from prison. Liam Finlay sent long letters to garda stations, a secondary school, and a third level college detailing his grotesque plan. However, he was caught by gardai using handwriting investigation tools and by tracing the stamps he used on the letters. Nicola...

Serial fraudster Samantha Cookes constructed an extraordinary web of deception that stretched across Ireland and the UK. A master manipulator, she adopted multiple identities and personas, to gain the trust of families, universities and even state agencies. Over the years, Cookes falsely claimed to be living with Huntington's disease, posed as a speech and language therapist, an occupational thera...

 Convicted criminal Cyril McGuinness, who died in his UK home as police arrived to quiz him in relation to his role in the kidnap and torture of Kevin Lunny, has been named as one of three men involved in the IRA's 1996 bombing of Manchester. According to the Manchester Evening News, police suspected McGuinness, known as 'Dublin Jimmy', of having a hands-on role in the bomb plot. Nicola talks to N...

Crowds gathered to pay their respects this week at the funeral of gangland hitman Lee McDonnell. Doves and blue balloons were released over the grave as his gold plated coffin was lowered into the ground. Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about the final send off for one of the underworlds most feared enforcers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Collins family are completely blindsided by Martin Earley’s arrest. None of them have ever heard of him.  Ann O’Grady has since died but never mentioned his name to them or any involvement a local married man might have had with Sandra.  Earley is charged with Sandra’s murder, and her family must now prepare themselves for his trial.  When it finally starts in May 2024 they...

Jeffrey Donaldson has begun his new life in Maghaberry Prison. Donaldson and his wife, Eleanor, are set to be stripped of their honours. The former MP and DUP leader, Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sex offences on Monday - including one count of rape.     The 63-year-old had pleaded not guilty, but the jury of seven men and five considered its verdicts for ten hours...

Sligo criminal Barry Young has been brought before the courts on a warrant from the PSNI who want him for the murder of Robbie Lawlor. Young appeared at Dublin’s High Court today while Jonathan Gill, who has been remanded in custody on a similar warrant, is fighting his extradition to the north. Nicola speaks to Niall Donald. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty of 18 historical sex offences, including one count of rape, 13 of indecent assault and four of gross indecency. The offences were against two women when they were children.  His wife Eleanor Donaldson has been found to have committed the acts relating to offences of aiding and abetting following a trial of the facts.  The leaders of the UUP and TUV...

Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty of all charges – the judge said prison is “inevitable”.  A jury of seven men and five women had considered its verdicts for more than nine hours over two days, and reached a verdict just after lunch on Monday.   The 63-year-old former MP had pleaded not guilty to 18 offences including one count of rape.  His wife Eleanor Donaldson found g...

On the 13th of April, convicted child rapist Philip Sullivan was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison. The sixty-three-year-old had already served time in prison. He was handed down two life sentences in 2008 for the rape and sexual assault of two young boys, aged nine and 11, between 2004 and 2006. The Kildare man appealed the sentence, and it was squashed. Instead, he got concurrent sente...