Imre Arakas, also known as the butcher, is an Estonian criminal.[2] He has also been a wrestler, an actor and an Estonian separatist.[2] He is a father of two.[3]
Imre Arakas | |
|---|---|
| Born | ~ 1958 |
| Nationality | Estonian |
| Other names | the Butcher |
| Criminal status | in prison |
| Criminal charge | conspiracy to murder |
| Penalty | six years |
| Imprisoned at | Portlaoise Prison [1] |
Criminal career
editSoviet era
editIn 1979, aged twenty, he and a friend broke into a shooting club in Tallinn and stole 13 handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.[2] Some saw the theft as a blow against the Soviet regime.[2] Arakas was quickly arrested and escaped from the courthouse on 18 April 1979, evading authorities by jumping from the Kohtuotsa viewing platform on Toompea hill.[2] He was arrested again after 87 days and sentenced to 15 years in jail, mostly in a high-security Russian facility.[2]
Post Soviet crime in Estonia
editAfter release from prison he joined an Estonian organised crime gang and took part in a feud with Russian organised crime that killed over a hundred people.[2] Arakas was nearly killed on more than one occasion.[2]
Spain
editHe left Estonia for Spain in 1998.[2] A failed assassination attempt was made in Marbella and two Estonians were jailed for their part in it.[2]
After this he became a freelance professional killer who is suspected of being responsible for a number of murders across Europe.[2]
Ireland
editHe was employed by the Kinahan gang as part of the Kinahan-Hutch feud.[2] He was hired to kill James "Mago" Gately.[2] Arakas owed a lot of money and the €100,000 payment for murdering Gately would pay off a large amount of it.[2] Gardaí received intelligence that he was going to arrive in Ireland and put him under surveillance.[2] The assassination was prevented and in 2018, he was jailed for six years by the Special Criminal Court.[2][4][3] While in Mountjoy Prison he suffered a stroke.[4]
Charges in Lithuania
editHe is expected to be deported to Lithuania after release from prison where he faces murder charges.[5] He is a suspect in the murder of Deimantas Bugavičius, lover of Lithuanian pop star Vita Jakutienė, on 6 November 2015.[5] The victim was shot by a three-man gang.[5] In June 2020 he announced that he would challenge the extradition. He was deported to Lithuania in 2023 where he was being held on murder charges.[1][6]
References
edit- ^ a b Neilan, Paul (15 June 2020). "Estonian Kinahan hitman will challenge extradition bid in October". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Gallagher, Conor (13 December 2018). "'He is an unusual celebrity': Colourful career of Estonian hitman foiled by gardaí". Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Estonian hitman jailed by Special Criminal Court for six years". Irish Examiner. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Paul (12 December 2018). "'Contracted hitman' sentenced to six years for conspiracy to murder". RTÉ News. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ a b c Foy, Ken (13 November 2018). "Cartel hitman also wanted in Lithuania over gun death of pop star's lover". Irish Independent. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
- ^ O'Riordan, Alison (20 July 2020). "Bid to extradite Estonian hitman to Lithuania delayed". The Irish Times. Retrieved 5 January 2021.