European Counterterror and Anti‑Money Laundering Operation Targets Kinahan Network
In a multinational effort led by the Civil Guard, with collaboration from authorities in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Ireland, a money‑laundering network tied to the Kinahan Organized Crime Group has been targeted. The operation identified a structure of several companies, including one registered in Gibraltar, as the backbone for laundering illicit funds.
Europol, supporting the operation from its headquarters in The Hague, reports four detainees across two countries. Three were taken into custody in Spain, and one in the United Kingdom. Across a year and a half of investigation, investigators believe the suspects laundered more than 200 million euros using Hawala, an informal money transfer system used widely in criminal networks.
One of those detained is described as “one of Europe’s largest money launderers” and a long‑standing high‑value target for Europol due to involvement in numerous high‑profile cases across the continent. He was arrested last Monday in Malaga, following a series of 11 house searches conducted in both Spain and the United Kingdom.
Earlier in April, the network’s ringleader was named by the United States for ties to the Kinahan clan, one of the most pursued criminal groups globally.
The core operation is said to have been based in Spain, where the principal suspect and his associates were responsible for collecting substantial cash sums from various criminal outfits and then delivering those funds to other organizations in different countries. A European agency notes that the mechanism relied on moving cash through linked entities and corporate fronts to obscure provenance.
As part of the laundering scheme, members established a vodka brand that gained traction in discos and restaurants along the Costa del Sol. This branding helped mask financial flows linked to criminal activity while creating a legitimate‑looking revenue stream that could be used to justify cash earnings.
Concurrently, a company operating in the United Kingdom was connected to another Gibraltar‑based enterprise. The arrangement aimed to obscure the true leadership and ownership of the corporate entities used to move illicit proceeds across borders.
One detainee was identified as running a car dealership in which vehicles were repurposed for illicit transport. Europol notes that secret compartments were built into cars to conceal large sums of money, enabling routes that went undetected by authorities.
The Civil Guard’s investigation began early last year after a series of operations culminated in the seizure of 200 kilograms of cocaine and 500,000 euros in cash hidden in vehicles equipped with hidden compartments belonging to the network. Europol characterizes the case as a complex, cross‑border effort requiring sustained cooperation from the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, the Dutch National Police, and Ireland’s Garda Síochána. In Canada and the United States, this case illustrates how criminal networks use multinational structures and seemingly legitimate businesses to launder funds, underscoring the need for robust financial‑crime collaboration across North America and Europe. ]
As investigations continue, authorities emphasize that dismantling such networks involves breaking the cash‑flow chains that connect crime groups with legitimate markets. The coordinated effort demonstrates how the Kinahan network leveraged a mix of corporate fronts, informal transfer systems, and consumer-facing brands to normalize and legitimize illicit profits while maintaining plausible deniability for leaders and facilitators.
Officials urge ongoing vigilance and ongoing sharing of information between national law‑enforcement partners, financial‑crime units, and international intelligence communities to disrupt the laundering architecture and prevent the expansion of similar schemes. The case serves as a clear reminder that criminal finances can travel through ordinary‑looking businesses and consumer brands, making cross‑border cooperation essential to protecting financial integrity in North America and Europe.