Imre Arakas Explained

Imre Arakas
Alias:the Butcher
Birth Date:~ 1958
Birth Place:Estonia
Nationality:Estonian
Criminal Charge:conspiracy to murder
Conviction Penalty:six years
Conviction Status:in prison
Imprisoned:Portlaoise Prison

Imre Arakas, also known as the butcher, is an Estonian criminal.[1] He has also been a wrestler, an actor and an Estonian separatist.[1] He is a father of two.

Criminal career

Soviet era

In 1979, aged twenty, he and a friend broke into a shooting club in Tallinn and stole 13 handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.[1] Some saw the theft as a blow against the Soviet regime.[1] 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.[1] He was arrested again after 87 days and sentenced to 15 years in jail, mostly in a high-security Russian facility.[1]

Post Soviet crime in Estonia

After 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.[1] Arakas was nearly killed on more than one occasion.[1]

Spain

He left Estonia for Spain in 1998.[1] A failed assassination attempt was made in Marbella and two Estonians were jailed for their part in it.[1]

After this he became a freelance professional killer who is suspected of being responsible for a number of murders across Europe.[1]

Ireland

He was employed by the Kinahan gang as part of the Kinahan-Hutch feud.[1] He was hired to kill James "Mago" Gately.[1] Arakas owed a lot of money and the €100,000 payment for murdering Gately would pay off a large amount of it.[1] Gardaí received intelligence that he was going to arrive in Ireland and put him under surveillance.[1] The assassination was prevented and in 2018, he was jailed for six years by the Special Criminal Court.[1] [2] [3] While in Mountjoy Prison he suffered a stroke.[2]

Charges in Lithuania

He is expected to be deported to Lithuania after release from prison where he faces murder charges.[4] He is a suspect in the murder of Deimantas Bugavicius, lover of Lithuanian pop star Vita Jakutienė, on 6 November 2015.[4] The victim was shot by a three-man gang.[4] In June 2020 he announced that he would challenge the extradition. He was deported to Lithuaniain in 2023 where he is being held on murder charges.[5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. News: ‘He is an unusual celebrity’: Colourful career of Estonian hitman foiled by gardaí. Gallagher. Conor. 13 December 2018. 5 January 2021.
  2. News: 'Contracted hitman' sentenced to six years for conspiracy to murder. Reynolds. Paul. 12 December 2018. 5 January 2021. RTÉ News.
  3. News: Estonian hitman jailed by Special Criminal Court for six years. 12 December 2018. 5 January 2021. Irish Examiner.
  4. News: Cartel hitman also wanted in Lithuania over gun death of pop star's lover. Foy. Ken. 13 November 2018. 5 January 2021. Irish Independent.
  5. News: Estonian Kinahan hitman will challenge extradition bid in October. Neilan. Paul. 15 June 2020. 5 January 2021. Irish Examiner.
  6. News: Bid to extradite Estonian hitman to Lithuania delayed. O'Riordan. Alison. 20 July 2020. 5 January 2021. The Irish Times.