Imre Arakas
{{short description|Estonian criminal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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| name = Imre Arakas
| alias = the Butcher
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| birth_date = c. {{birth year and age|1958}}
| birth_place = Estonia
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| nationality = Estonian
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| criminal_charge = conspiracy to murder
| conviction_penalty = six years
| conviction_status = in prison
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| imprisoned = Portlaoise Prison
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Imre Arakas, also known as The Butcher, is an Estonian criminal.{{Cite news|title='He is an unusual celebrity': Colourful career of Estonian hitman foiled by gardaí|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/he-is-an-unusual-celebrity-colourful-career-of-estonian-hitman-foiled-by-garda%C3%AD-1.3729235|last=Gallagher|first=Conor|date=13 December 2018|access-date=5 January 2021}} He has also been a wrestler, an actor and an Estonian separatist. He is a father of two.
Criminal career
=Soviet era=
In 1979, aged twenty, he and Heiki Terras broke into a shooting club in Tallinn and stole 13 handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.{{cite news |title=Man Rehabilitated Half-a-Century after Crimes during Soviet Occupation of Estonia |url=https://news.err.ee/1609558132/man-rehabilitated-half-a-century-after-crimes-during-soviet-occupation-of-estonia |access-date=December 21, 2024 |work=ERR |date=December 21, 2024}} Some saw the theft as a blow against the Soviet regime. 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. He was arrested again after 87 days and sentenced to 15 years in jail, mostly in a high-security Russian facility.
=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. Arakas was nearly killed on more than one occasion.
=Spain=
He left Estonia for Spain in 1998. A failed assassination attempt was made in Marbella and two Estonians were jailed for their part in it.
After this he became a freelance professional killer who is suspected of being responsible for a number of murders across Europe.
=Ireland=
He was employed by the Kinahan gang as part of the Kinahan-Hutch feud. He was hired to kill James "Mago" Gately. Arakas owed a lot of money and the €100,000 payment for murdering Gately would pay off a large amount of it. Gardaí received intelligence that he was going to arrive in Ireland and put him under surveillance. The assassination was prevented and in 2018, he was jailed for six years by the Special Criminal Court.{{Cite news|title='Contracted hitman' sentenced to six years for conspiracy to murder|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2018/1212/1016739-imre-arakas-court/|last=Reynolds|first=Paul|date=12 December 2018|access-date=5 January 2021|publisher=RTÉ News}}{{Cite news|title=Estonian hitman jailed by Special Criminal Court for six years|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30891566.html|date=12 December 2018|access-date=5 January 2021|work=Irish Examiner}} While in Mountjoy Prison he suffered a stroke.
=Charges in Lithuania=
He is expected to be deported to Lithuania after release from prison where he faces murder charges.{{Cite news|title=Cartel hitman also wanted in Lithuania over gun death of pop star's lover|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cartel-hitman-also-wanted-in-lithuania-over-gun-death-of-pop-stars-lover-37523736.html|last=Foy|first=Ken|date=13 November 2018|access-date=5 January 2021|publisher=Irish Independent}} He is a suspect in the murder of Deimantas Bugavičius, lover of Lithuanian pop star Vita Jakutienė, on 6 November 2015. The victim was shot by a three-man gang. 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.{{Cite news|title=Estonian Kinahan hitman will challenge extradition bid in October|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-31005304.html|last=Neilan|first=Paul|date=15 June 2020|access-date=5 January 2021|work=Irish Examiner}}{{Cite news|title=Bid to extradite Estonian hitman to Lithuania delayed|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/bid-to-extradite-estonian-hitman-to-lithuania-delayed-1.4309182|last=O'Riordan|first=Alison|date=20 July 2020|access-date=5 January 2021|newspaper=The Irish Times}}