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
Indonesian officials announced on Tuesday that a prominent figure linked to a transnational criminal network was detained on Bali. The 45-year-old, Steven Lyons, was apprehended by immigration officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport on Saturday during his arrival from Singapore, according to Untung Widiyatmoko, head of Indonesia’s Interpol division.
Lyons’ capture followed an Interpol Red Notice, issued at Spain’s request, which had flagged him for international arrest. A Red Notice serves as a global alert issued by Interpol upon a member nation’s request, directing law enforcement agencies to detain a suspect for potential extradition. The man, wanted in Spain and the UK for organized crime, drug trafficking, and money laundering, will be transferred to Spain on Wednesday, Widiyatmoko confirmed in Denpasar.
“Lyons is alleged to have led a crime ring that utilized shell companies for money laundering across Europe and the Middle East,” Widiyatmoko stated. “The operation spans Spain, Scotland, England, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, and Turkey.”
Spain’s Interpol had placed Lyons on its wanted list for approximately two years after a murder case in 2024. The arrest in Bali is part of a coordinated effort involving Spanish and Scottish police, as noted by Daniel Adityajaya, head of Bali Police. Recent raids in Spain and Scotland, aided by Europol and other nations, have led to multiple arrests connected to Lyons’ case.
Scottish media reported that Lyons survived a 2006 shooting in Glasgow, which killed his cousin, before relocating to Spain and eventually settling in Dubai. His brother and an associate were fatally shot in a suspected gangland attack at a beachfront bar in Fuengirola, southern Spain, last May.
Lyons arrived in Bali with two companions, both of whom are believed to remain on the island, said Bugie Kurniawan of the immigration office. Spain’s Interpol has identified them as part of the same criminal group, though they are not currently under arrest warrants.
