A tapas on the shoulder

KINAHAN cartel mobster Liam Byrne is facing up to 20 years behind bars – after armed Spanish cops nabbed him on gang charges as he enjoyed a family meal

- MICHAEL O'TOOLE, JOHN HAND and NICOLA DONNELLY

Sources have confirmed to The Irish Mirror that British authorities have already been given the go-ahead to hit Dubliner Byrne, 42, with firearms offences that carry a sentence of up to 10 years - but we have also established that they want to slap him with more charges.

The charges under consideration are understood to include conspiracy to pervert the course of justice which can carry up to seven years in jail.

But it is also possible that the UK authorities will charge Byrne with possessing firearms with intent to endanger life.

Sentencing guidelines for that offence in the UK are up to 22 years.

"He is going to be out of circulation for a long time, no matter what he is charged with, a source told us last night.

"He is in real trouble. The British don't mess about."

FIREARMS 

We have established that Byrne, who is regarded as the head of the organised gang that bears his name as well as leading the European drugs importation scam for Daniel Kinahan, is to be charged with conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition over numerous dates as well as conspiracy to possess automatic weapons and ammunition over numerous dates.

Much of the evidence come from cracked Encrochat phones that the Kinahans and other gangsters were using.

The operation was cracked two years ago and dozens of criminals have been charged in the UK, under Operation Venetic.

We have learned that an extradition request was sent to Spanish police over him in recent weeks.

Crumlin-born Byrne - whose brother David was murdered by the Hutch gang in the bloody attack on the Regency Airport Hotel in north Dublin on February 2016 was arrested on Sunday in Majorca, as he enjoyed a dinner with family and friends.