With police forces across the globe introducing new methods of recovering criminals assets it’s forced these gangs who deal in drugs,weapons,people trafficking and prostitution to look at simpler ways of money laundering.The days of using multiple,very complex financial transactions across many different jurisdictions is becoming more difficult.With government’s agreeing to share such information as bank accounts and company records across many borders.It’s made it near impossible for the likes of the Kinahan cartel to launder in places like Ireland,Spain and many other European countries.Also,the days of laundering through secondhand car dealerships,funeral undertakers,builders,restaurants,beauticians,flower shops are coming to an end.

One new method of laundering has recently come to light in Ireland and other European countries,pigeon racing.With Dublin’s Inner City tradition with the sport it is easy to understand how the cartel jumped on this opportunity to launder it’s profits from it’s heroin and cocaine trade.

The pigeon racing sport caught the attention of these drug gangs when in March of this year an online chinese bidder payed $1.4million for a pigeon.Also,in Taiwan over the past 18 months organised criminal gangs have kidnapped valuable racing pigeons and made big cash ransom demands for the safe return of these prized birds.

So,how do Irish criminal gangs launder large amounts of cash through the sport of pigeon racing.

Earlier this year a new Brussels report called “Mapping of Corruption of Sport in the EU” detailed that up to £78Billion annually is illegally laundered through sport.Common trick is for criminal gangs to take over sport clubs.Then put their dirty money through the books,eventually declaring as profits.The club will appear as being successful and the criminal cleans his drug money.The report stated that this practice is widespread across Europe.It’s not just the big clubs,but often the smaller clubs as their easier to control.

When a pigeon is sold for laundering purposes the unsuspecting buyer will be given an invoice.The price of the bird will be well below market value.This guarantee’s a quick sale and keeps the cash in circulation.Then a second invoice is raised for the sale of the same pigeon but for an increased figure.It’s then that the dirty money is introduced for cleaning.It’s declared through the books,taxed and therefore legitimised for the crime gangs.The clean money is often used to by properties for the rental market.One such Dublin drug dealer who was part of John Gilligan’s gang bought properties in Spain using a similar method.He then got his wife to act as the interior designer for the 10 apartments,paying her €25K for each apartment.The honest value of the furnishings in each apartment was €5K.

With the pigeons historical roots in Belgium,Netherlands and Britain it’s easy for Irish crime gangs to obtain birds to buy and sell.Such criminal gangs as the Kinahan’s have operated their illegal drug activities in these very countries for decades.

It’s known that recently one such pigeon fancier has been laundering large amounts of cash for the Kinahan Cartel.The Dublin man in his late 40’s is originally from the North Inner city and is a close friend of 2 brothers from Hardwick Street in the South Inner City.These brothers are very close to Daniel Kinahan,one lives in Dubai and see’s Daniel on a daily basis,while the other is currently in Marbella,Spain.Both are heavily involved in the Kinahan’s international drug trade.The brother living in Marbella is currently wanted for questioning by Gardai in relation to a murder from the start of the now infamous Kinahan/Hutch feud.

The pigeon fancier working for the cartel recently bought a pigeon for a 6 figure sum.Similar to the secondhand car trade,pigeons are sold multiple times over months,often to other gang members.

One man involved in this sport over the past 40 years say’s these people are ruining the sport he loves.He’s witnessed well known hardened Dublin criminals at pigeon clubs,he says “Just their presence is enough to put the fear of God into you”.

The full horror of this was seen when Keith Walker was gunned down outside Blanchardstown Racing Pigeon Club on June 12,2015.The gunman shot Walker 18 times with a sub machine gun,it was a case of mistaken identity.The intended target was his friend and convicted criminal,Jay O’Connor,also a pigeon fancier…END.