A TRUSTED associate of a supergang boss has joined him behind bars having been hauled back from Spain to face justice.

Paul Fleming today pleaded guilty to his involvement in the mob branded the "most sophisticated" in Scotland for their dealings in drugs, firearms, serious violence and dirty money.

A judge heard how the 38-year-old was in contact with James "The Don" White, who took charge of the cartel after the disappearance of brothers James and Barry Gillespie.

The pair discussed shipping in huge hauls of drugs into Europe from South America by taking advantage of relaxed security checks.

Fleming ended up being held in Alicante in Spain in June 2022, having moved there with his family.

He tried to stop being brought back to Scotland by lodging an "asylum application" which was eventually kicked out by Spanish judges.

Fleming today appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow and will be sentenced next month.

Fleming was snared as a result of two large-scale police probes - Operations Fertile and Buggy.

In 2018, he was deemed to be responsible for helping flood Scotland with class A and B drugs.

A number of associates he directed in the trafficking were later convicted.

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Fleming was stopped by police in July of that year on the M8 motorway where he admitted having "around £30,000" in his vehicle, but nothing which could cause "harm".

Fleming and his wife were later arrested, but not charged.

His home was searched and £50,000 of "luxury" watches as well as £5.045 in cash and 410 Euros were seized.

In October 2018, the couple left Scotland and upped sticks to Spain.

But, Fleming - nicknamed 'Kirky' - remained an active part of the crime mob.

In January 2022, five large pallets containing solar panel units were seized from a London-based transport company having arrived from Glasgow.

Prosecutor Scott McKenzie told the court: "These solar panel units were subsequently found to contain engineered voids lined with lead.

"Police believe they were designed to conceal and transport controlled drugs."

Encrypted messages hacked by police found Fleming linked to the setting up of a firm called Adastra Off Grid.

Mr McKenzie said: "This is suspected to be a shell company used to import controlled drugs from Spain concealed within solar panel units.

"These communications also show Fleming directing others in the distribution of large sums of money - the proceeds of crime."

The Encrochat texts - with Fleming having the username "Ruudlubbers" - showed him in touch with gang boss White, who took over from previous leaders the Gillespie brothers.

Mr McKenzie said: "Fleming and White discuss regular shipments of multi-kilo commodities from South American ports in Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia into Europe for onward transfer into the UK."

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Fleming spoke of utilising minimal security "green lane" shipping routes.

He and White further discussed the creation of the fake company to aid the drug dealing.

The court also heard Fleming sent another clan associate photos of guns adding: "That's only a few. Lol. There's a lot more."

Fleming - via his KC Brian McConnachie -  today admitted to a charge of directing others in the involvement of serious and organised crime.

Prosecutors stated this occurred between December 2017 and January 2022, at various addresses in Scotland, England and Spain.

He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on August 17 in Stirling.

White will also learn his fate separately next month after he pleaded guilty in June to being involved in serious organised crime.