New book charts Kinahan family’s rise from crooks to crime bosses

Journalist Nicola Tallant’s new book, Kinahan Inc: From Dublin to Dubai, examines how the Kinahan family evolved from small‑time crooks into a major international drug‑trafficking network.

The book, released in Irish bookshops on 12 November 2026, traces the gang’s expansion from Dublin to Amsterdam, Spain and Dubai under the leadership of Christy Kinahan and his son Daniel. Tallant discusses the partnerships, rivalries and the global law‑enforcement efforts that eventually targeted Daniel Kinahan.

According to Tallant, Christy Kinahan came from a middle‑class background on Dublin’s north side, was educated and initially worked as a check forger before moving into drug trafficking as the recreational drug market expanded. He travelled to Amsterdam to forge connections in the burgeoning ecstasy trade, which helped the gang grow into one of the most powerful networks with billions of euro at stake.

Tallant also notes that Christy Kinahan served time in Portlaoise Prison, where he was reportedly the first inmate to use the Internet and phones to continue his operations. The Kinahan story has inspired the television series Kin, starring Emmett J Scanlan and Charlie Cox.

Source: Newstalk. Photo: Patrick Jaksic / Pexels.