THE British branch of the Kinahan organised crime group has suffered a major blow after its leader, Thomas "Bomber" Kavanagh, was ordered to pay over £1.1 million in confiscated assets or face an additional 12 years in prison.
Kavanagh, 57, is already serving a 21-year sentence handed down in 2022 for overseeing the importation of Class A drugs worth an estimated £30 million, along with firearms trafficking and money laundering.
This financial order was the result of a detailed investigation by the UK’s National Crime Agency under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Authorities assessed that Kavanagh had profited by around £12.2 million through his criminal activities, although the recoverable amount was significantly less.
The assets now being seized include his half-share in a heavily fortified mansion in Tamworth, Staffordshire; proceeds from the sale of multiple properties in both Britain and Spain; and approximately £150,000 worth of designer clothing, bags, and accessories discovered during a raid on his home in 2019.
Kavanagh has three months to pay the sum in full.
If he fails to do so, he will serve an additional 12 years on top of his current prison term.
The National Crime Agency emphasised that this is part of an ongoing effort to dismantle serious organised crime groups by not only prosecuting their members but also stripping them of their ill-gotten gains.
His associate, Gary Vickery, 43, was also subjected to a confiscation order. He has been directed to repay nearly £110,000 or face an extra two years behind bars.
Vickery, who played a significant role in the criminal network, is currently serving a 20-year sentence.
He was arrested in 2017 after NCA officers discovered a large shipment of drugs concealed inside industrial machinery at the port of Dover, which included 15 kilograms of cocaine and over 220 kilograms of cannabis.
Both men were deeply involved in the Kinahan group’s British operations, and authorities say they lived lavishly while profiting from the widespread distribution of drugs and weapons.
The National Crime Agency has made it clear that such displays of wealth funded by organised crime will be targeted and reclaimed wherever possible.
In a separate development last year, Kavanagh admitted to further charges after authorities discovered an attempt to manipulate the justice system.
While on remand, he orchestrated a plan involving two close associates, Shaun Kent and Liam Byrne, instructing them to acquire and bury firearms so he could later reveal their location to authorities in a bid for a reduced sentence.
The ploy was uncovered, and the three were sentenced to a combined 17 years, with Kavanagh receiving six years on top of his existing sentence.
Officials from both the NCA and Crown Prosecution Service have underlined the significance of this case as part of their broader mission to disrupt transnational organised crime.
They reiterated that these confiscation orders are essential tools in ensuring that convicted criminals cannot enjoy the proceeds of their offences and will face further penalties if they refuse to comply.
The downfall of Thomas Kavanagh marks a major setback for the Kinahan cartel’s British operations.
