Man accused of shooting Scots gangsters is caged in Spanish prison that once held the Kinahans
The man accused of gunning down two Scottish gangsters on the Costa del Sol has been moved to an old, overcrowded and notoriously violent prison near the murder scene.Suspected hitman Michael Riley, 45, from Huyton, Merseyside, was extradited to Spain over the murders of Ross Monaghan, 43, and Eddie Lyons Jr, 46, in a bar in Fuengirola on May 31.He was initially held at the Soto del Real prison near Madrid but has now been transferred to infamous Alhaurin de la Torre nick, outside Malaga, following a request from his lawyer.Monaghan and Lyons Jr were leading figures in the Lyons gang, who had been enjoying the upper hand in their decades-long war with rival Glasgow crime clan the Daniels thanks to an alliance with the Kinahan cartel.READ MORE: New 'coke bust' theory emerges as motive for murders of Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons JrREAD MORE: Daniels gangsters boasting about 'organising execution of Monaghan and Lyons Jr'The feared Irish mob has gone from drug dealing on the streets of Dublin to becoming one of the world's leading crime organisations, suspected of involvement in narcotics and firearms trafficking, money laundering and murder.But for reasons still unclear, the Lyons appear to have lost the backing of their powerful allies – and the shocking execution of two of the gang's top lieutenants has dramatically tipped the balance of power back home in Scotland.Spanish police say Riley has links to the Daniels, and a report in the Daily Record recently claimed that two high-ranking Daniel mobsters have been "boasting" about organising the hit during booze-fuelled parties in Dubai.To further rub salt in the wounds, gang boss Steven Lyons had been holed up in the United Arab Emirates for years, before he was arrested and then expelled from Dubai earlier this year with his current whereabouts unknown.The Lyons and the Kinahans trod a similar path, moving first to the Costa del Sol and then Dubai. Now, Riley is being held in a prison where several Kinahan cartel members were once caged.Alhaurin de la Torre is where cartel boss Daniel Kinahan, his father Christy, 64, and brother Christopher, 41, were held following their arrests by Spanish cops in May 2010 after a probe into drugs and money laundering.Alleged Kinahan enforcer Johnny Morrissey was held for 20 months without charge in the Malaga jail after his arrest in September 2022. The Spanish authorities claimed he was involved in laundering €200million for the gang, before he was eventually freed on €60,000 bail and ordered not to leave the country.There are believed to be more than 140 different crime gangs from around the world based on the Costa del Sol and all linked to drug trafficking. Many of their members end up in Alhaurin de la Torre when they arrested.It is old and overcrowded, and is notorious for violence and pitched battles between rival gang members. By contrast, the Soto del Real prison near Madrid is used for VIPs and politicians, and has facilities such as its own swimming pool.Speaking before the move back in October, one source said: "Riley himself is unlikely to be too happy about moving. The contrast between the Madrid jail and the one in Alhaurin de la Torre couldn't be greater."Never miss the latest top headlines from the Scottish Daily Express. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
