Five prominent Scottish gangland figures have been arrested in the United Arab Emirates, including feared gang boss Ross McGill, in a major crackdown on organised crime.
McGill, 31, was detained in Dubai alongside Lyons family leader Steven Lyons, 44, and convicted drug trafficker Stephen ‘Jimmy’ Jamieson, 42. The operation reportedly unfolded during a dramatic early-morning raid on Tuesday, targeting individuals linked to Scotland’s most notorious crime networks.
Sources indicate the other two arrested include Lyons associate Steven Larwood and a Rangers Ultra closely tied to McGill.
McGill, leader of the Tamo Junto (TMJ) gang, has become increasingly high-profile since fleeing to the UAE in 2022 following the takedown of EncroChat, an encrypted messaging platform used by international drug networks. His notoriety escalated earlier this year after a violent gang war erupted in Scotland, reportedly triggered by a failed cocaine deal with Edinburgh crime boss Mark Richardson.
“McGill’s decision to flaunt his activities online brought the heat. His actions made it impossible to stay off the radar,” one underworld source said. “Others in Dubai kept a low profile. McGill did the opposite.”
While Lyons and Jamieson had long operated quietly in the UAE, their renewed association with McGill appears to have drawn unwanted attention from local authorities.
Another insider added: “They thought they were safe. But associating with someone as volatile as McGill was always a risk.”
According to sources, lawyers are now reviewing extradition risks as the five await their legal fate in Dubai. One insider noted: “They’re facing serious discussions about being shipped back to Scotland to face justice.”
McGill’s gang has been accused of launching a wave of firebombings and shootings across Edinburgh and Glasgow, targeting properties linked to Richardson’s crew and the Daniel family, who are known allies of Richardson. The violence triggered Operation Portaledge, a major Police Scotland investigation that has led to 57 arrests to date.
Lyons, a long-time player in Scotland’s underworld, fled the country in 2006 after a gangland hit at a family garage in Glasgow left his cousin dead and him wounded. Although he initially distanced himself from the recent turf war, reports suggest he had been feeding intelligence to McGill’s crew before withdrawing after the May 31 executions of his brother Eddie Lyons and close friend Ross Monaghan in Spain.
Authorities have stated that the Costa del Sol shootings are not directly tied to Scotland’s gangland conflict.
Stephen Jamieson, meanwhile, had relocated to Dubai in 2013 following early release from an eight-year cocaine sentence. He had reportedly turned to a business selling designer dogs, but a gym bust-up with McGill in July allegedly placed him back on the radar of UAE law enforcement.
It remains unclear how long Steven Larwood, convicted in 2006 for cocaine supply, has been residing in Dubai.
Police Scotland declined to comment on the arrests, and Dubai Police have yet to issue a formal statement.
