Kinahan cartel chief Ross Browning lays bare ‘drama’ of his past in candid video
Browning, who was once considered the Kinahan cartel’s number one man in Ireland, describes himself as a ‘Movement Practitioner’ and a ‘Family Constellation and Somatic Trauma Student’ as he tries to shake off his past reputation.In a video posted online, he is seen sitting outside as he shelters from the sun, and speaking directly down the camera about growing up in the Hardwicke Street flats in Dublin’s north inner city.“Beautiful souls. How are you? I hope you are well today,” he began the clip.“I'd like to share something with you that is drama addiction and it's a very big one, especially from my background, my environment, a flat complex in Dublin City that I grew up in, 200 to 250 families.News in 90 Seconds - May 14th“And I realised this many, many years ago, and I pulled myself out of it to support myself, to give myself that space to heal and grow.“And the realisation also is, is that, you know, there's nobody to blame. We're just born into a family, to a community, to an environment,” he continued.In the video Browning invited views to look at themselves and ask “how much drama” they are exposed to versus “how much love” they’re exposed to.“I hope that this awareness can help you to make changes in that for yourself, for your loved ones, for your community.Ross Browning“We are all exposed to it in some way or another. And where does it start?“The moment you're conceived and in the journey in your mother's belly for the nine months of pregnancy to be coming out as a physical, being into this physical world.“Then from there, being exposed to family, community environment, being exposed to classrooms with 40 and 50 in a classroom to a couple of hundred in the yard, to a flat complex, to a housing estate.“Just so many people and so many families, so much drama that it's impossible not to be addicted to it.”He signed off by wishing followers “the very best” before sending “much love” and “a big hug”.Ross BrowningBrowning vowed to change his ways after he was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon during Operation Shovel in 2010.The investigation was an international probe into the Kinahan cartel’s activities.Browning was arrested and charged over a Glock 19 pistol, which had the serial number removed, allegedly found at his home in Marbella in May 2010.Gardai say he was the mob’s number one man in Ireland, but had a “hands off” role in handling drugs.He was handed down a conviction for armed robbery when he was 18, but escaped a custodial sentence.The court heard he was one of three who stole €20,000 from a Securicor van. Browning waved a fake gun at the driver and demanded he hand over the money.After pleading guilty, he was given a suspended sentence.CAB recently sold off a three-bedroom home that they had previously seized from the criminal-turned-poet.It went for €250,000 in an online auction.In March, two bidders battled it out during the hour-long auction with one buyer winning the home as the price rose from €175,000 in the final moments of the auction to reach €65,000 more than the reserve price of €165,000.Browning went to huge lengths to disguise the true ownership of the mid-terrace property in Finglas, north Dublin, using different people to buy and sell it.The fire-damaged and almost derelict house was bought for €57,000 by an uncle of Browning, after which it was refurbished to a high standard.It was then bought by Browning’s convicted drug-smuggling cousin Ian O’Heaire and had been on the rental market until it was seized by CAB.The auctioneers described the house as being finished to a high standard with an open plan downstairs area and dark wooden flooring.There is also a self-contained back garden annex that could be used as an office, games room or studio.“Although the property requires some internal repairs, it presents an excellent investment opportunity with significant potential to appeal to a wide range of buyers and investors,” the brochure description read.Last year, another property owned by Browning in Garristown, Co Dublin, was bought for the asking price of €550,000. That included two houses as well as stables and an indoor equestrian arena.The CAB case against Browning showed how he used his relatives in various ways to hide his cash made from the drug trade.
