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CAB seizes Mansfield home under control of Kinahan gang

The Criminal Assets Bureau has seized the home in Saggart, Co Dublin (Pic: Sunday World)
The Criminal Assets Bureau has seized the home in Saggart, Co Dublin (Pic: Sunday World)

The Criminal Assets Bureau has seized a luxury gated home in Saggart, Co Dublin, from the Mansfield family which was under the control of the Kinahan organised crime group.

The High Court, sitting in Croke Park, heard that James Mansfield Jnr gave the gang the house along with cash after he failed to invest €4.5 million in cash in property, which the gang had given him in two suitcases.

The Mansfield's consented in court to the orders to dispose of the property and cash.

The Criminal Assets Bureau has yet to serve notices on Daniel Kinahan, the controller of the Kinahan gang and Thomas Kavanagh, the number two in the gang.

The court heard that Mr Kinahan lived in the house for a time and some of his personal items were found there.

Mansfield Jnr is currently in jail in the Midlands Prison, Kavanagh is in jail in the UK, while Mr Kinahan is in Dubai.

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The High Court heard details of some of the Kinahan gang's assets in Dublin and its attempts to invest in the Dublin property market.

The gang gave Mansfield Jnr €4.5m in cash in two suitcases in 2009 to buy property.

However, Mansfield’s fortunes deteriorated in the financial crash and the gang did not get their property.

The deal turned sour and Mansfield repaid the gang with some cash and a luxury gated home at Coldwater Lakes in Saggart in which he, his brother PJ, and his mother Ann had an interest.

However, the court heard today that while Ann Mansfield is party to the High Court agreement, she never had an involvement in the property, but her son got "caught up in a quagmire."

The court heard that the house was under the control of the Kinahan organised crime group, specifically its top two leaders, Mr Kinahan and Kavanagh, from 2014.

Mr Kinahan has previously been found by the High Court to be the gang’s controller and manager.

Kavanagh was the head of the gang's UK drug trafficking operation and was jailed last week in the UK for 21 years.

Some of Mr Kinahan’s personal items were found in the house along with €5,000 in cash in a white envelope with 'KAVS' written on it, which CAB believe was Mr Kavanagh's money.

CAB also seized another €24,150 in cash in the house and a further €20,500 in a nearby house.

The court heard that no one claimed ownership of the money but an attempt to place the house in the legitimate ownership of Kavanagh was never effected.

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath was also told that Kavanagh is an international drug trafficker who is married to Joanna Byrne, the sister of David and Liam Byrne.

Liam Byrne is the head of the Byrne organised crime group, the Dublin branch of the Kinahan gang.

David Byrne was shot dead at the Regency Hotel.

CAB's barrister Shelly Horan said that while Kavanagh is currently in jail at HMP Norwich, at present CAB has no address for Mr Kinahan in Dubai. She said however "a business associate" was in discussions with CAB and may accept service of High Court orders on his behalf.

If that is not successful she said they will seek to serve the orders on a business on Mr Kinahan's behalf through social media.

"It will be important to effect service on Daniel Kinahan," she said.

Kavanagh is to be served in prison in the UK.

The Mansfields agreed today to the orders, not to contest the matter and not to seek compensation in the future.

Jim Mansfield Jnr is currently serving an 18 month jail sentence for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The property developer ordered the destruction of CCTV footage showing him leaving a west Dublin hotel with a former employee on the morning the employee was kidnapped by Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy.

The High Court granted CAB orders allowing it to seize the Kinahan gang’s house and cash and remit the assets to the exchequer.

The case is due back in the High Court next month for an update on the service of orders on Daniel Kinahan and Thomas Kavanagh.