Jun.01, 2010
The alleged leader of an Irish drugs clan implicated in crimes in 20 countries — including gangland murder, money laundering and cocaine trafficking — has been ordered to prison on Spain's Costa del Sol without the opportunity of bail.
Christopher ‘Christy’ Kinahan (53), who holds a British passport, was ordered to be held in prison at Malaga, the capital of the holiday coast dubbed the Costa del Crime, after appearing before an investigating judge at Estepona.
His two sons were also ordered to prison without a chance of bail after appearing at closed-door hearings.
Two other alleged members of the gang were also jailed but will be released on bail if they are each able to deposit a €60,000 (£51,000) bail bond.
Last week nine other suspects were bailed, but eight were ordered to report to the court twice a month.
The suspects were rounded-up in a series of raids codenamed Operation Shovel.
Others were detained in Dublin and London. Raids on properties also took place Belgium and Brazil, where the organisation is alleged to have six holiday complexes worth €500m.