Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has urged those in the sporting world who work with businesses associated with the Kinahan organised crime group to cut ties with the gang.
The US Government announced on Tuesday that it has imposed sanctions against seven members of the gang. Among them is Daniel Kinahan, who has worked as an advisor to Tyson Fury. He also founded the boxing management company now known as MTK.
"What was implicit, is now absolutely explicit: If you deal with the individuals who are sanctioned, you are then involved with a criminal network," Harris said during a press conference.
"I would ask them to look to their own business, the probity of their own business, and then their relationship with their fans. Really, is this something that they want to be involved with, in terms of their legitimate business? I would think that the answer to that is a resounding no.
"In terms of very prominent sporting individuals who are obviously in some way connected with this group, I would say that you need to look at your sport, your fans, and you need to think of your own reputation because this is a very serious announcement made today after a huge amount of work.
"It will withstand scrutiny, and what we are saying is based very solidly on the evidence and information that very many law enforcement agencies have gleaned, and have provided, in effect, to an independent office for what is a presidential direction."
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said 'prominent sporting individuals' who are 'in some way connected' with the Kinahan organised crime gang 'need to think of their own reputation' after the US announced sanctions on the group | Read more: https://t.co/7qwXOvkAvJ pic.twitter.com/H1vryamysu
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Assistant Commissioner John O'Driscoll added that the Kinahan crime gang's connections to boxing provided more "incentive" to bring them down.
"Aside from the organised crime group destroying communities by pedalling drugs, they are also attempting to destroy a sport that is so important to inner city communities," said O'Driscoll.
"The manner in which they have interfered in the sporting world has really provided even more incentive, if we didn't have enough to bring about the downfall of this particular organised crime group."
A reward of up to $5 million is being offered for information which leads to the "financial disruption" of the gang or the arrest and conviction of its leaders: Christy Kinahan Jr, Christy Kinahan Snr, and Daniel Kinahan.
“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 the US 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."
