Interpol's Director of Organised and Emerging Crime Richard Chambers has said that the arrest of Sean McGovern earlier this week was a very significant arrest.
Mr Chambers said that the arrest represented a large amount of work put in by An Garda Síochána in recent years focused on the Kinahan organised crime group.
Mr McGovern was arrested on Friday on foot of an Interpol 'red notice’, a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.
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Mr McGovern, who was named earlier this year in the Special Criminal Court as one of the leaders of the Kinahan organised crime group, was arrested in Dubai.
He is wanted in Ireland in connection with the murder of Noel Kirwan, an innocent man who was shot dead as part of the Hutch-Kinahan feud in December 2016.
A European Arrest Warrant had been issued for him by the High Court.
Mr Chambers said that the message to the Kinahan organised crime group and other fugitives is that they are "perhaps a little bit vulnerable at the moment".
"As far as I’m concerned the message is ‘time’s up - you can’t expect to hide around the world'.
He pointed out that Interpol had 196 member countries, which covers most of the world.
Speaking about Dubai and the UAE, Mr Chambers said that it is "no longer (perceived to be) a safe haven" for criminals following the arrest.
He added that Interpol was very grateful to the UAE for acting on the red notice very quickly, and that Interpol had been working with both Ireland and the UAE on the case a lot this year.
"It’s the beginning of more intensive action by not just Ireland and the UAE but many of the other countries who work with Interpol with red notices.
"We will continue to work with Ireland and the UAE and any other country, this arrest sends a very clear message of intent to other fugitives, whether they are alleged members of the Kinahan organised crime group or other wanted fugitives from Ireland, that may be in other countries.
"It sends a very clear message that Ireland will not tolerate the behaviour that may lead to someone being in another part of the world, and Interpol is ready to support Ireland with many more situations I suspect," he added.
