Son of Kinahan crime gang member extradited to UK accused of firearms offences

The son of a member of the Kinahan criminal gang has been extradited from Spain to the UK to face alleged firearms charges.

Jack Kavanagh, 24, from Tamworth was extradited to the UK to stand trial for the alleged offences following a National Crime Agency investigation.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video link on October 4, where he was remanded into custody.

Mr Kavanagh was arrested in May 2023 at Malaga Airport by officers from the Spanish National Police, as he was transiting from Dubai to Turkey.

He is accused of being involved in the supply and acquisition of firearms after NCA investigators discovered messages on the encrypted messaging platform Encrochat.

Mr Kavanagh is set to appear at the Old Bailey on November 1.

His father Thomas, 57, along with his brother-in-law, Liam Byrne, 44, from Dublin, and Shaun Kent, 38, from Liverpool, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey last month to two charges of conspiring to possess a prohibited weapon, and two charges of conspiring to possess prohibited ammunition, between January 9 2020 and June 3 2021.

Kavanagh and Kent also admitted conspiring with others to pervert the course of justice.

They were remanded into custody and are to be sentenced on October 21.

Craig Turner, deputy director of Investigations at the National Crime Agency, said: “Jack Kavanagh is the second associate linked to the Kinahan OCG who has been returned to the UK, after thinking he could evade us.

“Our work to target the alleged criminal activities of the crime group continues.

“Our global reach, and ongoing partnership with international law enforcement agencies should act as a warning to anyone who thinks they can go on the run and avoid facing justice – we will not stop until you are back in the UK and behind bars.”