Edinburgh-Glasgow gangland war enters truce stage according to underworld source

Edinburgh Live

a day ago

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A crime clan war which has plagued Scotland's two largest cities could potentially come to an end after a truce was agreed, an underworld source has revealed.
The news comes after a raft of escalating violent attacks in recent weeks with officers making arrests across the central belt.
Footsoldiers on either side are understood to be nervously waiting to see if the new peace deal holds between the Lyons and Daniel associated gangs in the west of the country, the Daily Record reports.
Last night a source told The Record: 'The turf war is over...but we will just have to wait and see if it holds.'
A well-placed source told how the Dubai-based Mr Big behind attacks on Daniel targets, Ross McGill, has agreed to end hostilities after being leaned on by cartel bosses in Dubai.
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They are said to be 'unhappy' over a police crackdown on the turf war which has led to a slowdown in the lucrative drug trade in Scotland. According to the source, McGill - an associate of Glasgow's Lyons gang - called off the string of attacks following a summit with an associate of the rival Daniel crime clan.
It is not known if a mob in Edinburgh associated with jailed crime kingpin Mark Richardon have agreed to the truce. It comes after police executed attempted murder and arson charges against suspected gang members who have been rampaging since March.
The source said: 'McGill immediately ordered the truce to get back to business after trade all but dried up as a result of the turmoil. The police scrutiny doesn't help.
'Both parties have talked to each other on the phone and everything seems to be resolved. The deal is done so Glasgow should calm down from now on. The Lyons have lost a lot of money for their backers and they are under a bit of pressure to get it back.'
The source added: 'The last lot of nonsense was largely about the Lyons trying to get all the turf to themselves but the bottom line is there is not going to be any more violence in Glasgow.
'There has been a conversation with Ross and it is going to stop. We need to wait and see if there are any more outbursts but I don't think there will be.
'Yes, people were attacked but that should stop. As far as the gangs in the West of Scotland are concerned, there is no more war.'
The crime feud has been playing out on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow in recent months.
Trouble initially flared between the rival factions after hoods linked to caged cocaine kingpin Mark Richardson were accused of ripping off McGill over a stash of cocaine worth £500,000. It is believed counterfeit money was used to buy the drugs.
We previously told how McGill offered £100,000 bounties for attacks on his top targets - with a new crime gang Tamo Junto carrying out a series of hits. Homes and properties linked to the Daniel family and Edinburgh mob boss Richardson, who is currently behind bars, have been torched.
Earlier this month, Machete thugs also attempted to slice open the skull of David McMillan Snr, a close pal of Richardson, in a brazen attack at his Edinburgh home. McMillan managed to fight back before his assailants fled. He later drove himself to hospital.
Two men were injured in a separate machete attack at a garage owned by Glasgow crime clan member Robert Daniel. The violent incident took place outside the 50-year-old's CS accident repair shop in East Kilbride.
Two men, aged 41 and 45, were injured in the incident. Edinburgh Live understands Robert was the intended victim as his family have been targeted over their association with Richardson.
The turf war has led to an equally dramatic police operation to catch the thugs. Chief Constable Jo Farrell named the crackdown Operation Portaledge.
Last week, officers executed warrants at addresses in Edinburgh, Whitburn and Bathgate. A 21-year old man has since been charged in connection with two attempted murders and fire-raising in Edinburgh and Lanarkshire.
Police also arrested and charged three men aged 18 and one aged 31 with fire-raising at the home of McMillan snr. Incidents across the country have led to a total of 41 arrests.
The source told The Record: 'Individuals have alliances but the so-called gang war hasn't really amounted to much.
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'Count up the bodies and an old woman and a kid got hurt, not particularly seriously, and a guy in Edinburgh got slashed. Other than that it was mostly doors that got a bit torched and a few slightly more serious fire damage.
'It's all a bit silly really. Most of it was perpetrated by teenagers and those teenagers are the ones who will be paraded through the courts and who will get attempted murder through arson charges and end up in prison for a long time, certainly double figures.
'Some of those people got involved because they owed a load of money and were told they could write off their debt. It could flare up again so people will have to wait and see. But for now, it's over.'