In an unprecedented development for Scotland’s ongoing battle against organized crime, authorities in Dubai have arrested five high-profile figures suspected of orchestrating a brutal gang war that has rocked both Glasgow and Edinburgh in recent months. The early-morning raid on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, brought down Steven Lyons, Ross 'Miami' McGill, Stephen 'Jimmy' Jamieson, Steven Larwood, and a fifth man believed to be from Edinburgh. These individuals, all with deep ties to Scotland’s criminal underworld, now face the prospect of a lengthy and uncertain extradition process while detained in some of Dubai’s most notorious prisons.
According to BBC Scotland News, the arrests followed months of escalating violence between rival gangs, with incidents ranging from drug importation to a string of assaults, shootings, and firebombings. The feud, which has left communities reeling since March 2025, centers on the Lyons crime group—led by Steven Lyons—and its bitter rivalry with the Daniel clan, a conflict that’s spanned more than two decades. Police Scotland have linked the four men to criminality at both the UK and international level, describing them as operating at the very top of the organized crime hierarchy.
Detectives working on Operation Portaledge—a major initiative launched to combat the surge in gang violence—have made 57 arrests so far, underscoring the severity of the situation. Intelligence sharing between Police Scotland and law enforcement in the United Arab Emirates played a crucial role in facilitating the Dubai operation, though it remains unclear whether Scottish officers were notified ahead of the raids. The significance of these arrests, sources told BBC Scotland News, "cannot be overestimated."
Steven Lyons, 44, is no stranger to law enforcement. As the head of the Lyons crime group, he’s survived assassination attempts and witnessed the murder of his cousin, Michael Lyons, during a 2006 shooting in Glasgow. After a period in Spain, Lyons eventually settled in Dubai, where he continued to oversee the group’s operations. The violence hit close to home again in May 2025 when his brother, Eddie Lyons Jr., and Ross Monaghan were shot dead in a Spanish beachfront bar after watching the Champions League final. Spanish police have accused Michael Riley, 44, from Liverpool, of the murders, with an extradition hearing scheduled for later this year. Despite speculation, Police Scotland maintains there’s no evidence linking the Spanish killings directly to the ongoing Scottish gang war or suggesting the attack was planned from within Scotland.
Ross McGill, 31, has also emerged as a central figure in the recent turmoil. Once known to police as a senior member of the Rangers ultras group, the Union Bears, McGill’s profile has grown since March 2025, when a fallout with imprisoned Edinburgh drug dealer Mark Richardson reportedly ignited the latest wave of violence. Under McGill’s alleged direction, a shadowy group called Tamo Junto orchestrated a series of firebombings and attacks targeting associates of Richardson and the rival Daniel family. The violence reportedly began when an associate of Richardson bought £500,000 worth of cocaine from McGill using fake banknotes, sparking a vendetta that spilled across both cities.
Stephen Jamieson, 42, who has lived in Dubai for several years, is connected to Jamie "Iceman" Stevenson, a notorious figure jailed in 2024 for masterminding a £100 million cocaine smuggling operation from South America to the UK in boxes of bananas. Jamieson’s involvement further highlights the international scope of Scotland’s organized crime networks. Steven Larwood, another Lyons associate, also relocated to Dubai after previously residing in Spain, reinforcing the trend of Scottish criminals seeking refuge in the UAE.
For years, Dubai was seen as a safe haven for international criminals, with authorities often turning a blind eye as long as their activities didn’t directly impact the Emirate. However, the tide appears to be turning. The arrested Scots now face up to two years in detention in Dubai’s Central Prison—locally known as Al Awir—while awaiting possible extradition to Scotland. These facilities have a grim reputation, with reports of violence, gang rape, and even Russian mobsters infecting enemies with HIV, according to the Scottish Daily Express.
Extradition from the UAE is a complex process, requiring that the alleged crimes be punishable in both countries by at least a year’s imprisonment and not be of a political nature or subject to capital punishment. Human rights activist Radha Stirling, who runs the legal charity Detained in Dubai, voiced concerns about the integrity of the UAE’s legal system, stating, "It wants to shed its reputation as a criminal safe haven, especially under pressure from Interpol and Western allies. But one extradition doesn’t reflect meaningful change in a legal system that remains opaque, politicised and lacking in basic due process." Stirling warned that extraditions are often driven by political or diplomatic bargaining rather than impartial legal proceedings, raising serious questions for countries—like Scotland—engaging in extradition treaties with the UAE.
The arrests have also reignited debate in Scotland over the use of legal aid by alleged organized crime figures. Former top cop and Labour MSP Graeme Pearson called for those extradited and tried in Scotland to be refused legal aid, arguing, "Working people paying tax have had enough of providing legal aid for offenders who are happy to show their affluent lifestyle but expect the public to pay legal fees when they come to court." Pearson pointed to the nearly £2.5 million claimed in legal aid by criminals targeted by Police Scotland between 2014 and 2024, including costly cases involving figures like cocaine smuggler Jamie "Iceman" Stevenson and assassin Barry Harvey. The Scottish Legal Aid Board responded that eligibility is determined by strict rules on income and capital, with assets frozen by legal orders excluded from consideration. However, Pearson believes this is an opportunity for reform, suggesting that only those found innocent should be able to claim costs, and that stricter rules could deter criminals from exploiting the system.
As the extradition process unfolds—a journey that could take up to two years—the fate of Lyons, McGill, Jamieson, Larwood, and their unnamed associate remains uncertain. The case has exposed not only the international reach of Scotland’s organized crime but also the challenges of cross-border law enforcement and the ethical dilemmas that follow in the wake of such high-profile arrests. The coming months will test the resolve of both Scottish and Emirati authorities as they navigate the shadowy world of gangland justice, extradition politics, and the quest for accountability.
