Thomas Kavanagh and criminal associate ordered to pay back criminal funds

Thomas Kavanagh, a senior figure in the Kinahan Organised Crime Group (OCG) and his associate Gary Vickery, who were jailed for their part in a drug smuggling operation, which involved importing drugs inside tarmac removal machinery, have been ordered to pay back over £1 million or face more time in jail.  Daniel Canning’s confiscation hearing will be heard at a date later in the year. 

Ipswich Crown Court sentenced Thomas Kavanagh, 57, and Gary Vickery, 42, to 21 years’ imprisonment and 20 years’ imprisonment respectively on 28 March 2022, after they pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Import Class A drugs (cocaine), Conspiracy to Import Class B drugs (cannabis) and Money Laundering related offences.   

Left to right: Thomas Kavanagh and Gary Vickery

Thomas Kavanagh lived in a gated property with reinforced doors and bulletproof glass in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

The prosecution team estimated that this OCG imported drugs with a street value of around £30 million, by importing cocaine and cannabis into the UK, from Europe, within machinery delivered by legitimate logistics companies and carrying cash back.

In January 2017 Garda (Republic of Ireland police) made several arrests in Dublin with a significant quantity of firearms and Class A drugs recovered. This led to an investigation into Thomas Kavanagh’s drugs empire by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The investigation also included his associates.

On 2 October 2017, a consignment was intercepted by NCA in Dover, within which was found; 15 kilograms of Cocaine and 200 kilograms of Cannabis hidden within two tarmac removal machines. The machines had been adapted to allow for the concealment.

Following the convictions, CPS Proceeds of Crime Division, in conjunction with the National Crime Agency, secured a Confiscation Order for Kavanagh and Vickery to pay back their available assets, including designer goods and property held abroad.

The Judge determined Kavanagh and Vickery had a total criminal benefit of £12,235,047 and £10,966,619 respectively from their criminal lifestyle and made Confiscation Orders of £1,123,096 and £109,312, reflecting the amount that they currently have available to them to pay their orders.  A default sentence of imprisonment was set at 12 years for Kavanagh and 2 years for Vickery.

They will remain liable for the difference between their total criminal benefit and available amounts and can be reinvestigated at any stage if any new assets are discovered.

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: “Thomas Kavanagh and Gary Vickery are dangerous criminals in the organised gang world, importing millions of pounds worth of dangerous drugs on an industrial scale to the UK. 

“This successful £1 million Confiscation Order demonstrates the prosecution team’s commitment to work across borders to strip organised criminals of their illegal gains. 

“We continue to pursue the proceeds of crime robustly and will return them back to court to serve an additional sentence of imprisonment if they fail to pay their orders.

“In the last five years, over £478 million has been recovered from CPS obtained Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot benefit from their offending. £95 million of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation.”

Kay Mellor, Head of Operations HQ at the National Crime Agency, said: “Thomas Kavanagh was the head of the UK’s arm of the Kinahan organised crime group, responsible for the importation and distribution of drugs and firearms, making millions of pounds in the process.

“He and his gang believed they were untouchable, but that proved to be their downfall. Kavanagh and Vickery will be behind bars for many years to come and now have to pay back more than £1 million to the state.

“We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to target, disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups, deprive them of their assets and ensure they face justice”.