Crack teams of Scottish cops are helping hunt down gangland bosses running criminal empires from the Costa del Sol.
Police Scotland has been singled out by the National Crime Agency(NCA) as the UK force it gives most support and intelligence to on criminal network activity in Spain.
Collaborations in the hunt for fugitives and crime networks operating in the Spanish hotspot have led to “successful joint operations”, a report says.
View 3 ImagesThe Costa del Sol – dubbed the “Costa del Crime” – has long been a bolthole for some of Scotland’s most wanted villains.
The NCA – known as Britain’s FBI – has revealed in recent months its international liaison officers helped Scottish police to track fugitives, dismantle criminal networks and shut down safe havens used by Scots gangsters hiding out.
An agency report said: “Scottish Organised Crime Groups have a significant footprint in the Costa del Sol.
“This is reflected in Police Scotland requesting and being provided with more support than any other NPCC force.
“Working closely with Police Scotland, Spanish National Police and the Guardia Civil, NCA liaison officers facilitated the collection and analysis of intelligence in relation to high profile Scottish OCGs leading to successful joint/parallel operational opportunities.
“Recent operations supporting Police Scotland resulted in the NCA sharing over 1000 intelligence reports between Scotland and Spain.”
View 3 ImagesSpanish Guard raid homes in Costa Del Sol
The report added: “Liaison officers currently manage four high profile Police Scotland fugitive inquiries and, in the past 12 months, have facilitated the arrest of a number of Police Scotland’s Most Wanted fugitives for money laundering and serious assault offences.”
During major joint operations – such as the recent takedown of the notorious Lyons crime clan – Scots cops were deployed in Spain to coordinate raids, share encrypted data and execute international arrest warrants.
Spanish police said in April they dismantled a drugs gang linked to the Lyons family, after a three-year probe with the force.
Police Scotland said: “We continue to work closely with partners locally and internationally, including the National Crime Agency, to tackle illegal activity both in the UK and abroad.”
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