Three Scottish men, once at the center of a high-profile international criminal investigation, have been released from prison in Dubai, bringing a dramatic twist to a saga that has gripped both Scotland and the United Arab Emirates for more than a month. Steven Lyons, Ross McGill, and Steven Larwood, all alleged to have links to a violent gang war that has shaken Glasgow and Edinburgh, were freed from custody in the United Arab Emirates on October 18, 2025, according to reports from the BBC and corroborated by multiple Scottish news outlets.
The trio had been arrested following a series of coordinated raids in Dubai on September 16. The reasons behind their detention were never made public, leaving both the Scottish authorities and the public speculating about the motivations and evidence behind the dramatic actions taken by UAE officials. Adding to the intrigue, a fourth man, Stephen Jamieson, remains behind bars in the UAE, with his fate still uncertain as of this weekend.
The story’s roots stretch far beyond the Persian Gulf. According to Police Scotland, Lyons, McGill, and Larwood are believed to be connected to an ongoing gang feud that has erupted across Scotland’s two largest cities. The conflict has been anything but quiet: shootings, assaults, and even firebombings have unsettled neighborhoods and left residents on edge. Police have not minced words about the seriousness of the situation, describing the violence as part of a broader power struggle among rival criminal factions.
Operation Portaledge, the police initiative designed to quell the violence, has led to the arrest of nearly 60 individuals across Scotland. This crackdown, authorities say, is an attempt to dismantle the networks fueling the feud and restore some measure of safety to the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The BBC reports that the operation’s scope is unprecedented, reflecting the scale and severity of the gang war.
Yet, the plot thickens with a tragic twist. In May 2025, Steven Lyons’ brother, Eddie Lyons, and another man, Ross Monaghan, were shot dead in Spain. While the timing and family connections might seem to suggest a direct link, Police Scotland have been clear: “There is no suggestion the fatal shootings in Spain are linked to the ongoing gang war in Scotland.” Instead, detectives believe the roots of the Scottish feud lie elsewhere—specifically, in the jailing of notorious drug kingpin Jamie Stevenson. His imprisonment, police say, created a power vacuum that rival factions have been scrambling to fill, leading to the surge in violence.
Despite the international dimensions of the case, with arrests made in Dubai and killings in Spain, much of the investigative focus remains in Scotland. Police Scotland have been working closely with their counterparts in Dubai, sharing intelligence and coordinating efforts. However, as the BBC notes, Scottish authorities were not informed about the Dubai raids in advance, underscoring the often-complicated nature of cross-border law enforcement. “While Police Scotland has been sharing information with their counterparts in Dubai, it’s not believed they were aware of the raids in advance,” reports the BBC.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) has also become involved, particularly in the case of Stephen Jamieson, the British national who remains detained in the UAE. In a statement, the FCDO said, “We are supporting the family of a British national who is detained in the UAE.” The support offered by the FCDO is standard protocol in cases where British citizens are held overseas, but the high-profile nature of this case has put additional pressure on diplomats and government officials to ensure Jamieson’s rights are protected and his case is handled in accordance with international norms.
The release of Lyons, McGill, and Larwood has raised as many questions as it has answered. Why were they arrested in the first place? What evidence, if any, led UAE authorities to target these men? And, perhaps most importantly, what does their release mean for the ongoing gang war back home in Scotland? For now, officials remain tight-lipped, citing the sensitive nature of both the criminal investigations and the diplomatic discussions involved.
Scottish communities, meanwhile, are left grappling with the fallout of a feud that shows little sign of abating. The violence that has swept through Glasgow and Edinburgh has left deep scars, both physical and psychological. Residents report a sense of unease, with some neighborhoods transformed by the constant threat of reprisals and attacks. Police have ramped up patrols and community outreach, but many locals worry that the underlying issues—poverty, lack of opportunity, and the lure of criminal networks—remain unaddressed.
For law enforcement, the challenge is twofold: disrupt the criminal organizations responsible for the violence, and reassure the public that progress is being made. Operation Portaledge is the most visible manifestation of these efforts, but police officials caution that the road ahead will be long and difficult. The arrest of nearly 60 individuals is a significant milestone, but with key players still at large and the underlying power struggle unresolved, authorities know that stability remains fragile.
International cooperation has become increasingly important in this fight. The arrests in Dubai—and the continued detention of Stephen Jamieson—highlight the global reach of Scotland’s criminal networks. Police Scotland’s collaboration with Dubai officials, while not always perfectly coordinated, represents a recognition that crime in the twenty-first century knows no borders. As one senior officer put it, “We have to work together if we’re going to get ahead of these groups. They move fast, and so must we.”
Family members of those involved are caught in the crossfire, both literally and figuratively. The deaths of Eddie Lyons and Ross Monaghan in Spain serve as a stark reminder of the stakes involved, even as officials insist these killings are unconnected to the Scottish feud. For the families of the men released in Dubai—and for Stephen Jamieson’s loved ones, still waiting for news—the uncertainty is agonizing.
As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the gang war that has rocked Scotland is far from over. The release of three alleged gangsters from a Dubai prison may mark the end of one chapter, but the broader struggle for control, justice, and peace in Glasgow and Edinburgh goes on. Authorities remain vigilant, communities remain wary, and the world watches as Scotland battles to reclaim its streets from the grip of organized crime.
For now, the only certainty is uncertainty itself. With so many moving parts, international actors, and unresolved questions, the Scottish gang war remains a story without a clear ending—at least, not yet.
