The group was described as bringing "drug-related crime and violence, including murder, to the countries in which they operate".
The US Government has announced that it will place sanctions on the Kinahan Organised Crime Group (KOCG), blocking several revenue streams for the group in America.
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
announced the sanctions on Tuesday (12 April).
The sanctions are imposed on the group as a whole, and on seven connected individuals, including leaders Christopher Kinahan Senior,
Daniel Kinahan and Christopher Kinahan Jr.
“The Kinahan Organized Crime Group smuggles deadly narcotics, including cocaine, to Europe, and is a threat to the entire licit economy through its role in international money laundering,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson.
“Criminal groups like the KOCG prey on the most vulnerable in society and bring drug-related crime and violence, including murder, to the countries in which they operate.
"Treasury is proud to have coordinated so closely with our international counterparts, and the U.S. government will continue to use every available resource to dismantle these criminal networks.”
OFAC has published a comprehensive list of the crimes the KOCG has committed, including drug trafficking, money laundering and travelling with a false identity document.
The group and the associated members are now prohibited from making transactions in the U.S. or with companies from America.
Sanctions were placed on several companies due to their links to the Kinahan group, including Nero Drinks Company Limited, Hoopoe Sports LLC, and Ducashew General Trading LLC.
OFAC has
published a series of known addresses and multiple passport numbers of those named in the sanctions.
These sanctions came into action due to "close collaboration between OFAC, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Ireland’s national police force (An Garda Síochána), the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation."
An Garda Síochána are set to comment on the new sanctions at a press conference later today.
