Police investigate gang links to fire at taxi office

Two vehicles were also set on fire outside the taxi office on Gorgie Road in May

Police are investigating whether a fire at an Edinburgh taxi office could be linked to a gangland feud across Scotland's central belt.

The Capital Cars office on Gorgie Road was set alight in the early hours of Monday.

There were no reported injuries.

Two men, aged 25 and 26, were arrested and are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court charged in connection with the wilful fire.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said officers were made aware of the blaze at about 03:00 on Monday.

"Emergency services attended, however the fire had not taken hold and there was no significant damage," the spokesperson said.

"There were no reports of any injuries."

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it received reports of a "building and car fire" at the old taxi rank building.

A spokesperson added: "Operations control mobilised four appliances and one height appliance to the scene and firefighters extinguished a fire affecting the front doorway of the building."

A disturbance outside a house in Barnton Avenue West, about three hours earlier, was also reported to police but no suspects were identified.

It is understood officers are considering whether the two incidents could be linked to Police Scotland's Operation Portaledge which was launched in response to a series of violent incidents since March.

A Scottish man currently based in Dubai is alleged to have started the feud by targeting a crime group led by convicted cocaine dealer Mark Richardson, who is currently in jail.

The attacks later spread to the west of Scotland where there has been a violent rivalry between the Daniel and the Lyons families dating back more than 20 years.

Two vehicles were set on fire outside the taxi office on Gorgie Road in May.

Speaking to the Daily Record, Capital Cars owner Stephen Rose said those vehicles were leased to self-employed drivers and rumours that a gang leader had invested in the company were untrue.

So far, Police Scotland said it had arrested 55 people as part of Operation Portaledge, but the two men charged in connection with the Gorgie Road fire were not included in that figure.

A force spokeswoman said officers were "keeping an open mind about any link".