The boxing mogul accused of running a global cocaine monopoly

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Daniel Kinahan operates at the intersection of high-stakes sports and international crime. While he brokered some of the biggest fights in boxing history, the DEA identifies him as a leader of one of the world's fifty largest drug cartels, allegedly controlling a third of Europe's cocaine trade.

The High Court of Ireland labels Daniel Kinahan, once a boxing promoter and alleged crime leader, as a high-ranking individual within international organised crime. According to DEA documents, he allegedly heads a 'super drug cartel' alongside figures from the Camorra and Dutch criminal underworld. This group is reported to have a virtual monopoly on Peruvian cocaine, with shipments primarily destined for Dutch ports. The cartel's operations are said to be based in Dubai, where the DEA observed key members meeting at the Burj Al Arab hotel in 2017.

Kinahan's criminal reach extends beyond narcotics to firearms smuggling and a violent domestic feud with the Hutch gang. This conflict began in 2015 following the murder of Gary Hutch in Spain and has resulted in at least 18 deaths, primarily in Dublin. In 2022, the head of the Gardaí Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stated in an affidavit that Kinahan personally sanctioned several of these murders. His criminal enterprise is so significant that the U.S. Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on the 'Kinahan Organized Crime Group' (KOCG), blocking them from the U.S. financial system.

Despite these allegations, Kinahan maintains a prominent role in the legitimate sports world. He co-founded MTK Global with boxer Matthew Macklin, a company that manages world-class fighters like Tyson Fury. Although MTK Global claimed to sever ties with Kinahan in 2017 following an assassination attempt on him at the Regency Hotel, he remains a key advisor. In 2020, Tyson Fury publicly thanked Kinahan for brokering a major two-fight deal with Anthony Joshua, and the World Boxing Council has expressed support for his efforts to bring benefits to the sport.

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