Gangster Ross McGill, along with a group of notorious mobsters, has reportedly been released from a Dubai prison following their arrest twelve days ago. The 31-year-old McGill, together with Steven Lyons, Stephen ‘Jimmy’ Jamieson, and Steven Larwood, were freed over the past weekend after being held by UAE authorities. According to underworld sources cited by the Daily Record, the group was ordered to leave the country immediately.
One insider revealed that McGill was released on Saturday morning and was explicitly told never to return to Dubai. Interestingly, he was dropped off onto the streets of Abu Dhabi, leaving his next move shrouded in mystery. There’s speculation that McGill might head to South America, a region where he reportedly has substantial connections, thanks to an associate named James ‘The Don’ White. It seems unlikely that McGill will be making his way back to Scotland anytime soon.
Meanwhile, the other trio—Lyons, Jamieson, and Larwood—were released earlier, on Friday night, but like McGill, they have also been effectively banned from Dubai. These developments follow a dramatic police crackdown on serious and organized crime in the UAE, which resulted in a high-profile early-morning raid on September 16.
Sources explained that McGill’s high-profile behavior, particularly his audacious gang war on the streets of Scotland earlier in the year and his tendency to share videos of his exploits online, likely drew the attention of UAE authorities. This was risky behavior, given the quiet life expected from criminals wanting to avoid international heat. Lyons and Jamieson had managed to live in Dubai discreetly for years, but their association with McGill appears to have doomed their stay.
Further insights suggest that the arrests were a direct result of McGill’s capture, with police using their connections to bring in Lyons and Jamieson. The men likely believed they could keep a low profile, avoiding repercussions for their activities, but that notion has proven incorrect. Their lawyers have reportedly been advising them on the potential for extradition, reviewing how proceedings might unfold if they are sent back to Scotland to face charges.
Ross McGill’s criminal journey includes fleeing to the UAE in 2022 after fears of arrest in Europe, linked to a French police crackdown on a criminal phone network used for drug trafficking. His violent campaign earlier this year was sparked when associates of an Edinburgh cocaine boss, Mark Richardson, were duped with counterfeit money during a £500,000 cocaine deal. This led McGill’s TMJ gang to launch a terrifying spree of firebombings and shootings targeting those linked to Richardson and rival Glasgow gangs such as the Daniel family. This violent feud has prompted Police Scotland’s Operation Portaledge, resulting in 57 arrests.
Steven Lyons fled Scotland in 2006 following a shooting incident at his uncle’s garage in Glasgow, which left him injured and his cousin dead. Lyons has reportedly been an informant for McGill’s gang, feeding intelligence about Richardson’s group and the Daniels, though he stepped back after personal losses in Spain. Despite police clarifying that the shootings in Costa Del Sol are unrelated to the domestic gang war, the violence clearly casts a long shadow.
Stephen ‘Jimmy’ Jamieson left Scotland in 2013 after being paroled from an eight-year sentence for cocaine dealing. While in Dubai, he reportedly ran a business selling designer puppies, offering a stark contrast to his violent past. However, a reported falling out with McGill in a Dubai gym earlier this year put him under increased scrutiny from police.
Details about Steven Larwood are less clear, including how long he has been in Dubai. Larwood has a history of drug convictions in Scotland dating back to 2006.
Authorities in both Scotland and the UAE have been contacted for comment but have yet to provide official statements. This unfolding saga highlights the international reach and complexities of modern organized crime, as well as the challenges law enforcement faces in tackling these entrenched networks across borders.
