Ngurah Rai Immigration Office Head Bugie Kurniawan said Steven Lyons, 45, was flown to Amsterdam on Tuesday via Jakarta.

“He was escorted by Indonesian Immigration officers along with personnel from the Secretariat of Indonesia’s National Central Bureau (NCB) Interpol,” Bugie said on Wednesday, as quoted by state news agency Antara.

Lyons was arrested at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport on March 28 upon arrival from Singapore, after officers identified him on Interpol’s wanted list.

NCB Interpol Indonesia Secretary Brig. Pol. Untung Widyatmoko said on March 31 that Lyons is allegedly a high-profile criminal who has operated across Spain, Scotland, the United Kingdom, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain and Turkey.

“He is the leader of a criminal cartel allegedly involved in murder, drug trafficking and money laundering,” Untung said.

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Lyons was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice issued on March 26.

“The arrest was part of an international operation known as ‘Operation Armorum,’ led by Spain’s Guardia Civil, which aims to dismantle Lyons’ criminal network,” Untung added.

Read also: Bali court jails two Britons for drug smuggling

Lyons is alleged to be the leader of the Lyons crime family, one of Scotland’s most prominent organized crime groups, BBC reported.

Indonesian authorities say he allegedly headed a Scotland-based transnational network that controlled drug trafficking routes between Spain and the UK.

Investigators believe the group also allegedly laundered money through shell companies across Europe and the Middle East, with Spain’s Civil Guard estimating the total proceeds exceed 30 million euros (US$35 million).

Lyons has been on Spain’s wanted list for nearly two years in connection with a fatal shooting in 2024.

In the lead-up to his arrest in Bali, police in Scotland and Spain conducted a series of coordinated raids targeting suspected members of the network. The operation resulted in multiple arrests and spanned several locations, including Bellshill, Glasgow, Gartcosh, Whitburn, Caldercruix, Cumbernauld and Coatbridge, as well as Barcelona and the Malaga area.

Lyons was apprehended the same day his wife, Amanda Lyons, was arrested in Dubai as part of the wider crackdown.

Indonesian authorities are also searching for two associates who arrived in Bali with Lyons but managed to evade detection.

Scottish media has reported that Lyons survived a shooting in Glasgow in 2006 that left his cousin dead. He later relocated to Spain before eventually settling in Dubai.

In May last year, his brother and an associate were shot dead in a suspected gangland attack at a beachfront bar in Fuengirola, in southern Spain.

The BBC reported that Lyons is currently being held in the Netherlands under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by a judge in Malaga. The warrant marks the start of formal extradition proceedings to Spain, although authorities indicate there may be delays before he is transferred.

Read also: Prosecutors seek prison terms for Ukrainian, Brazilian over drugs

Ngurah Rai Immigration Office Head Bugie said Lyons’ arrest sends a clear warning to transnational crime syndicates against seeking refuge in Bali.

“We emphasize that Bali will never be a safe haven for fugitives,” Bugie said.

He added that the operation also demonstrated strong coordination between Indonesia’s Immigration authorities and international law enforcement networks, ensuring that fugitives cannot easily enter the country.

“The successful arrest of Lyons demonstrates the sharp instincts and extensive experience of our airport officers. Our system is well integrated, and our personnel are highly trained to detect and apprehend individuals listed on Interpol’s wanted list,” he added. (nal)

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