Suspected crime boss Daniel Kinahan returning to Ireland in high-security operation

For more than 20 years the group has been responsible for importing tonnes of drugs and firearms around the world, the National Crime Agency (NCA) previously said.

The NCA said the crime group is linked to more than a dozen gangland murders.

According to former Gardaí (Irish police) Commissioner Drew Harris, the gang is estimated to have made more than €1bn (£836,590,000) globally from its activities.

The US Treasury Department has in the past compared the gang to crime organisations such as Italy's Camorra, Mexico's Los Zetas and Japan's Yakuza.

A reward of up to $5m (£3.84m) has also been offered by the US for information on the three most senior Kinahan gang members - Daniel, his father Christopher Snr, 65, and brother Christopher Jnr.

In 2022, Thomas Kavanagh, who the NCA said ran the group's criminal operations in the UK, was jailed for 21 years alongside Gary Vickery and Daniel Canning , who were sentenced to 20 years and 19 and a half years respectively.

The NCA said evidence showed they were responsible for cocaine imports estimated to be up to £23.4m, and cannabis imports worth about £6.4m.

Daniel Kinahan's lawyer previously told BBC Panorama that he has no criminal record or convictions and allegations about him being a crime boss are false and have no evidential basis.