DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A senior figure in an international crime syndicate, identified as 45-year-old Steven Lyons from Scotland, was arrested shortly after landing on the resort island of Bali. His arrest took place on Saturday at Ngurah Rai International Airport as he arrived from Singapore, according to Untung Widiyatmoko, head of Indonesia's branch of Interpol.
Lyons was flagged by the immigration system as the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, which is an alert issued globally at a member country's request for the arrest of a suspected individual for extradition. He is wanted in both Spain and the United Kingdom on charges related to organized crime, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
According to Widiyatmoko, Lyons will be extradited to Spain on Wednesday. He has been on Spain's wanted list for approximately two years, following his alleged involvement in a murder case from 2024. The Bali Police Chief, Daniel Adityajaya, noted that the arrest was part of a collaborative investigation involving law enforcement agencies from Spain and Scotland.
Investigators claim that Lyons led a criminal organization that utilized shell companies for money laundering operations across Europe and the Middle East. This includes locations such as Spain, Scotland, England, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, and Turkey. Last week, police forces from Scotland and Spain conducted simultaneous raids related to Lyons' case, resulting in multiple arrests with the assistance of Europol, as well as support from Turkey, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates.
Scottish media reports indicate that Lyons narrowly escaped a shooting in Glasgow in 2006, which resulted in the death of his cousin. He subsequently moved to Spain before eventually settling in Dubai, UAE. In May, his brother and an associate were shot and killed in a suspected gang-related incident at a beachfront bar in Fuengirola, southern Spain.
Upon his arrival in Bali, Lyons traveled with two companions, who are believed to remain on the island. Bugie Kurniawan from Bali's immigration office stated that Spain's Interpol has identified these companions as members of the same criminal cartel; however, they are currently not subject to any arrest warrants.
The arrest of Steven Lyons highlights the ongoing international efforts to combat organized crime and drug trafficking and showcases the importance of international cooperation in law enforcement. As Lyons is set for extradition, the investigation continues to unravel the complexities of the crime syndicate he allegedly leads.
