The BBC has announced a new documentary series, “Kinahan: The True Story of Ireland’s Mafia”, now available on BBC iPlayer. The four-part series chronicles for the first time the entire journey of the Kinahan gang, from its early days as a small-time drug dealer on the streets of Dublin in the 1980s to its rise as a notorious transnational criminal organisation, attracting the attention of law enforcement agencies around the world.

Kinahan: The True Story of Ireland’s Mafia

Broadcast Date: 31/3/2025 | BBC iPlayer

The series offers exclusive insights, interviews and rare interviews with journalists, authorities and members of the public who have been caught up in the gang’s violence.

Thomas Kavanagh has been described by the National Crime Agency as being the “European CEO” of the “drug trafficking network”.

From Dublin to Dubai: A Global Crime Journey
The film takes viewers through countries such as Ireland, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, the US and the United Arab Emirates, tracing the activities of the organization known as the Kinahan Transnational Criminal Organisation (KTCO) – a criminal network estimated to be worth more than $1 billion.

At a press conference in Dublin in April 2022, the US, UK, Ireland and Europol announced the Kinahan crackdown. A $5 million reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of senior figures in the gang, including “kingpin” Christy Kinahan, and his two sons, Daniel Kinahan and Christy Kinahan Jr.. The US accused them of involvement in drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, money laundering and murder, but to date, Daniel and Christy Jr. have not been convicted.

Episode Synopsis:
Episode 1: The Regency Murders
Starting with the 2016 murder of David Byrne, a member of the Kinahan gang, at the Regency Hotel during a boxing weigh-in. The real target is believed to be Daniel Kinahan. The incident sparked a bloody war between the Kinahan and Hutch gangs, leaving at least 18 people dead.

Through documentary footage and interviews, the first episode introduces Christy Kinahan Senior, who began his criminal career in Dublin in the 1980s, then expanded to Europe, with hundreds of millions of pounds of drugs being transported. During that time, his two sons were also “trained” to take over the “family business”.

Episode 2: The Spanish Empire and the Blood FeudIn the early 2000s, with the cocaine boom in Europe, the Kinahan gang rose to prominence and settled on the Costa del Sol, Spain. They lived like millionaires, while the police tried unsuccessfully to arrest them. The relationship between Daniel Kinahan and Gary Hutch – the nephew of rival Gerry “the Monk” Hutch – broke down, leading to Gary’s death and the start of a blood feud between the two clans.

Daniel Kinahan also began to make inroads into the world of professional boxing.

Episode 3: The British Branch and “Bomber” Kavanagh
The Kinahan gang not only operated in Ireland but also established a strong network in the UK, especially in the Midlands and Liverpool. They supplied drugs, weapons and money laundering services to many other gangs.

The episode focuses on the hunt for Thomas “Bomber” Kavanagh – the leader of the British branch, and the years-long secret operation by the British and Irish police. Meanwhile, the Kinahan family has moved to Dubai. Daniel Kinahan even joined forces with famous boxer Tyson Fury, hoping to take over the global boxing world.

Christopher ‘Christy’ Kinahan Senior, was arrested in Dublin in 1997

Episode 4: Supercartel and the global manhunt
The final episode reveals the alliance between Kinahan and other notorious gangs in Europe to form a “Supercartel”, with partners being South American gangs and Hezbollah. The US security agency officially listed Kinahan as an international security threat, and coordinated with many countries to bring this organization to light.

While Daniel Kinahan’s 2017 wedding attracted attention for featuring European drug lords, his boxing ambitions were dashed when the US issued a warrant and a huge reward for his arrest.

Kinahan family response

Although the BBC approached the Kinahan family for a statement, they were not involved in the production. The family’s lawyers said the series was based on “rumour and speculation” that had not been tested in court, and stressed that a major investigation in five countries had ended without formal charges.

Broadcast
The first three episodes are available on BBC iPlayer from 6am on 31 March 2025

The final episode will be released later.

Episode 1 will also air on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10.40pm on 31 March.

“Kinahan: The True Story of Ireland’s Mafia” is a BBC Northern Ireland production – a haunting, tense and realistic crime investigation series.

Source from BBC