Drug kingpin extradited from Dubai is jailed for six years

A man who directed a million-pound drug gang has been jailed for six years after being brought back to Scotland from Dubai.

Stephen 'Jimmy' Jamieson, 43, was caught communicating with fellow gangsters between 26 March 2020 and 19 May 2020.

The conversations included discussing cocaine, heroin and money with Jamie Stevenson - known as Iceman, who is serving 16 years for smuggling £76m of high purity cocaine to the UK in banana boxes.

Jamieson was arrested in September 2025 in the UAE along with other gangland figures such as Ross 'Miami' McGill, Steven Lyons and Steven Larwood, and pleaded guilty to being involved in serious organised crime.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Jamieson went by the username PatrolStaff on the Encrochat communication network. The secret network was later cracked by police.

Jamieson was caught after messages written by PatrolStaff corresponded with his movements. He also referred to press reports about himself, which mentioned his dog breading business as well as his "Jimmy" nickname.

Stevenson went by the name ElusiveAle, and the duo discussed sums owed to them and availability of stock, which included two million pills as well as cocaine and heroin.

They also spoke about police activities, including losses of cocaine and cash as well as money owed.

'£40,000 per kilogram of cocaine'

Jamieson was also in communication with John Gurie, who went by the name SurrealKey and was sentenced to six years for supplying cocaine.

Jamieson discussed cocaine Gurie had in his possession and its availability for a customer to purchase.

Gurie was detained in April 2020 and a search of his home found cash and a kilo of high purity cocaine.

After the police involvement, Jamieson sent Gurie "financial support."

Other messages showed Jamieson corresponding with Stephen O'Donnell about collecting money, referred to as "paper".

O'Donnell has since been jailed for two years after pleading guilty to possession of criminal property.

Prosecutor Michael Macintosh said the messages indicated cash amounting to several hundred thousand pounds was collected.

Jamieson's messages included him discussing prices for five million etizolam pills and cocaine. He was seen to offer one person a price of £40,000 per kilogram of cocaine, while heroin was listed at £18,000 per kilogram.

He also referenced Dubai and purchasing watches and vehicles, including spending £146,000 on a jeep.

He initially travelled to Dubai from Manchester in February 2020 and returned in May 2020 before heading back to the Arab state in November.

Thomas Ross KC, defending, told the court that the offence was absent of firearms or intimidation which was "different" from similar cases.

Jamieson's previous convictions included being locked up for eight years in 2009 for supplying cocaine. He was released after four years.

Judge Lord Scott told Jamieson that the sentence was more lenient than it would have been if it had been a drug supply charge.