Indonesia arrests Scottish man sought by Spain in connection with international crime syndicate
Indonesia arrests Scottish man sought by Spain in connection with international crime syndicate
Steven Lyons, a key member of a global criminal organization, has been detained in Bali following an Interpol Red Notice issued by Spain. The 45-year-old was apprehended by Indonesian immigration officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport after arriving from Singapore, according to Untung Widiyatmoko, head of Indonesia’s Interpol branch.
The Red Notice, which prompted international police cooperation, was activated in response to Spain’s request. Lyons is now set for extradition to Madrid, as confirmed by Widiyatmoko during a press briefing in Denpasar, the capital of Bali’s province. His arrest marks a significant step in the case, which involves organized crime, drug smuggling, and financial fraud across multiple jurisdictions.
“Lyons is alleged to have orchestrated a network that exploited shell companies for laundering money in Europe and the Middle East,” said Widiyatmoko. “These operations spanned Spain, Scotland, England, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, and Turkey.”
Authorities in Spain and Scotland had been collaborating on the investigation, which led to coordinated raids last week. These actions, supported by Europol and law enforcement agencies from Turkey, the Netherlands, and the UAE, resulted in several arrests linked to Lyons’ activities.
Lyons’ criminal history includes a 2006 shooting in Glasgow, where he survived an attack that killed his cousin. He later relocated to Spain and eventually settled in Dubai. In May 2024, his brother and a business partner were murdered in a suspected gangland shooting at a coastal bar in Fuengirola, southern Spain.
Lyons arrived in Bali accompanied by two individuals, both of whom remain on the island. While Spain’s Interpol has linked them to the same criminal group, they are not currently under arrest. “The suspects are part of the broader network, but no warrants have been issued for their detention,” noted Bugie Kurniawan of Bali’s immigration office.