Episode 938: Three leaders of ‘The Family’ gang arrested in major Ghost hack update
24 March 2025 - 31 minsThe three top tier members of The Family - Ireland’s biggest organised crime gang - are in custody after a major operation by gardaí this morning as a direct result of the 'Ghost' hack.
Armed with a treasure trove of evidence of drug trafficking and money laundering officers from the Garda Drug and Organised Crime Bureau are now hoping that the Director of Public Prosecutions will order prosecutions in the country’s first case centred on encrypted phones.
Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Ghost, The Family, and the future of Irish policing.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Series Episodes
The Science of Fear - Bomber’s Boom Years (Episode 4)
In the “champagne years” of the international drug trade, Bomber emerges as a global power-broker, helping Daniel Kinahan forge a lethal “Super Cartel” alliance with Dutch and Italian kingpins to dominate the European cocaine market. Amidst a backdrop of first-class flights and fortified mansions, he earns the nickname “Santa” for his flash displays of wealth, even as murder and violence underpin his reign. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
34 mins
7 July Finished
The Science of Fear - Hidden Empire (Episode 3)
In the quiet Staffordshire town of Tamworth, Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh established a deceptive front as a car dealer and built a sophisticated, international logistics hub for the Kinahan organisation. Utilising “Trojan horse” concealments in industrial machinery to smuggle millions in narcotics, he maintained absolute control through a cold “science of fear” that terrorised subordinates and ensured his status as a global underworld tycoon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 mins
7 July Finished
The Science of Fear - Modern Irish Gangster (Episode 2)
Rising through the ranks of a drug-fuelled Dublin in the 1990s, Kavanagh weaponised fear and forged a deadly alliance with the notorious Byrne crime dynasty to dominate the city’s exploding cocaine market. As he became the historic first target of the Criminal Assets Bureau, a campaign of savage witness intimidation and extreme violence eventually forced Bomber to flee Ireland and expand his operations across the Irish sea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 mins
6 July Finished
The Science of Fear - The Making of Ireland’s Mafia Godfather (Episode 1)
Behind the mask of a suburban dad in the English Midlands, Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh reigned as the brutal “European CEO” of the billion-euro Kinahan cartel, orchestrating international drug shipments from his fortified mansion. Our new series chronicles his bloody rise and dramatic downfall, beginning in the Ipswich courtroom where authorities dismantled his empire, stripping away the luxury assets and exposing the torture tactics that once made him untouchable. The Science of Fear: The Bloody Reign of Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh was originally released as a subscriber-only series in January 2026 on crimeworld.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
26 mins
6 July Finished
Introducing The Science of Fear: The Bloody Reign of Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh
The rise and fall of the Kinahan Cartel boss Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh is an extraordinary tale of violence, power, and ambition. This week, Crime World is posting a special nine-part podcast series The Science of Fear: Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh and his Brutal Reign as Daniel Kinahan’s Right-Hand Man. Today, as we launch our week-long special, Nicola talks to Niall Donald about what is next for Bomber. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
15 mins
6 July Finished
Christy Kinahan: The Dapper Don - To Dubai and Beyond (Episode 6)
As war rages on the streets of Dublin, Kinahan re-invents himself as an international aviation broker in Dubai. He uses the legitimate business world to try and take over Africa’s lucrative cocaine corridors - flying shipments of drugs through the continent on private planes. But his attempts to disguise his past hit a major snag when the US government puts a $5 million bounty on his head. Christy Kinahan: The Dapper Don was originally released as a subscriber-only series in November 2025 on crimeworld.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
46 mins
3 July Finished
