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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] 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.[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 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.[2] Arakas was nearly killed on more than one occasion.[2] Spain He 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 He 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 He 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 Bugavicius, 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.[1][6] References Neilan, Paul (15 June 2020). “Estonian Kinahan hitman will challenge extradition bid in October“. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 January 2021. Gallagher, Conor (13 December 2018). “’He is an unusual celebrity’: Colourful career of Estonian hitman foiled by gardaí“. Retrieved 5 January 2021. “Estonian hitman jailed by Special Criminal Court for six years“. Irish Examiner. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2021. Reynolds, Paul (12 December 2018). “’Contracted hitman’ sentenced to six years for conspiracy to murder“. RTÉ News. Retrieved 5 January 2021. 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. Eestis on ta kuulus näiteks sellega, et põgenes Nõukogude ajal Toompeal kohtust. Arakas oli kolme teda valvanud eestlasest miilitsa vahelt kohtusaalist välja tormanud. Teda ei peatanud tagaajajate hüüded ega püstolilasud. Imre Arakas käis uuesti läbi tee, kust kaudu ta 1979. aastal Toompeal kohtust põgenes. Intervjuus räägib ta oma elust, Mart Laarist, Kalev Kurest ja Assar Paulusest. Seisame Imre Arakasega Toompeal Kohtuotsa vaateplatvormil, kust avaneb kaunimaid vaateid vanalinnale ja Viru hotellile. „Kui kõrgelt sa alla hüppasid?“ küsin. See juhtus 1979. aasta 18. aprilli õhtul. Kahekümneaastane Arakas oli just põgenenud Kalinini rajooni rahvakohtust. Kohus pidas istungeid Stenbocki majas, kust juhitakse täna Eesti riiki. Peaminister Taavi Rõivas polnud siis veel sündinud. Arakas oli kolme teda valvanud eestlasest miilitsa vahelt kohtusaalist välja tormanud. Teda ei peatanud tagaajajate hüüded ega püstolilasud. Algul kavatses ta lahkuda Toompealt Tiesenhauseni maja tagusest nõlvast alla laskudes. Lapsepõlve mängudest tuttav läbipääs oli aga tol õhtul tellingutega suletud. Nii jooksis noormees vaateplatvormile, heitis end üle ääre ja hakkas mööda püstloodis kiviseina alla ronima.
