Police Scotland and the Guardia Civil in Spain carried out simultaneous raids as part of a two-year probe into organised crime.
19 hours ago
David CowanScotland home affairs correspondent
Police in Scotland and Spain have carried out a series of simultaneous pre-dawn raids, following a two-year investigation into serious organised crime.
Co-ordinated in conjunction with the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), the operation targeted alleged members of Scotland's dominant crime group, the Lyons, and resulted in 13 arrests.
Detectives say they have been probing high-level involvement in organised crime, including drugs and money laundering.
At 03:00 in Motherwell police station, BBC Scotland News watched the start of a briefing with officers preparing to take part in the raids.
For security reasons, we were asked not to film their faces, or that of the detective who read a short statement before we had to leave the room.
He told them: "The intention today is to trace and arrest a significant nominal (suspect) who's wanted on a petition arrest warrant, regarding their involvement in serious and organised crime, particularly money laundering, drugs supply and directing serious and organised crime.
"This is part of a wave of warrants being executed today, to arrest nominals who cause misery in our communities, due to their illicit activities."
The briefing continued behind closed doors.
Similar meetings would have been taking place in Spain, as the Guardia Civil targeted properties in the Malaga area and Barcelona.
A convoy of police vans then drove through the darkened Lanarkshire streets before turning into a smart private housing estate.
At 04:30, public order officers wearing balaclavas and helmets approached a detached house and forced entry.
Instead of battering their way in, they used specialist equipment to prise the front door open.
As the wintry rain fell, two officers from the Guardia Civil watched their Scottish colleagues file inside.
Scottish officers were performing the same role in warmer weather in Spain.
A short time later, a middle-aged man was led out of the house and into custody.
Most of the neighbouring houses, despite the noise and early hour, remained in darkness.
A teenager emerged from one and challenged the BBC's presence, asking: "Whatever happened to innocent until proved guilty?"
This is likely to be the start of a long legal road, with the first court appearances expected next week.
Early morning raids are not uncommon but it was clear that this was the culmination of a lengthy, complex and international investigation.
In total, eight arrests were made at houses in Bellshill, Glasgow, Gartcosh, Whitburn, Caldercruix, Cumbernauld and Coatbridge, while five arrests were made in Spain.
Det Ch Insp George Calder told BBC Scotland News the investigation was probing alleged high-level involvement in organised crime, drugs and money laundering.
He added: "This day of action has been the result of over two years of investigative work that's been carried out diligently carried out by officers not only here, but by other agencies, including the National Crime Agency and the Guardia Civil.
"We have got a number of officers over in Spain, assisting the Spanish authorities with their inquiries.
"We're sharing intelligence, information and resources."
The detective said the inquiry pre-dated the feud which broke out in central Scotland last March and was not linked to the murders of Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr, who were shot dead at a bar in Fuengirola.
A man from Liverpool, Michael Riley, has been accused of committing the double murder and gave his consent to be extradited to Spain last year.
Calder said: "What I would stress is that we are continually targeting those involved in serious organised crime both here and abroad.
"If you're hiding from us, if you feel that when you depart Scotland you're safe, our message is that our reach is far and wide.
"We will be working with our partners in the NCA, the Spanish authorities and other countries to ensure we bring you to justice."
Scottish and Spanish officers were supported by colleagues from Europol and officers in the Netherlands, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates.
Officers in Türkiye seized two plots of land and a villa estimated to be worth about €600,000 (£520,000), as well as shares in a company.
Europol said statements had also been taken from four Turkish citizens as witnesses.
The Lyons family has been one of Scotland's most notorious organised crime gangs for more than 20 years.
They amassed an underworld presence through former leader Eddie Lyons Sr, who took over a community centre in Milton area of Glasgow and allegedly turned it into his base in the early 1990s.
It has led to a long-running series of bloody and often deadly tit-for-tat clashes.
Eddie's son, Steven Lyons, later took over the running of the group having fled Scotland for the Costa del Sol and then Dubai after a shooting at a garage in Lambhill which claimed the life of his cousin Michael in 2006.
Monaghan was previously acquitted of one of the most high-profile murders in the Lyons-Daniels feud – the shooting of enforcer Kevin 'Gerbil' Carroll in a supermarket car park in 2010.
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