Indonesian authorities have delayed the extradition of alleged Scottish crime boss Steven Lyons to Spain for a second day, citing the sensitivity of an ongoing police investigation. The 45-year-old, described by law enforcement as a senior figure in an international crime syndicate, was due to be flown to Spain late Thursday via Doha.
Lyons was taken back into Bali police custody from the airport, according to Husnan Handano, a spokesperson for Bali’s immigration office. Local media reported that the delay is linked to an investigation into his suspected associates, who are believed to still be on the resort island.
Lyons was detained on Saturday upon arrival from Singapore after an Interpol Red Notice, issued at Spain’s request, flagged him. He arrived with two companions, but told authorities he travelled alone. Bugie Kurniawan, head of the Bali immigration office, said Spain’s Interpol has identified them as members of the same criminal cartel, though they are not on any arrest warrants.
Immigration and police officials said this was Lyons' second trip to Bali, suggesting he was assessing Indonesia's drug trafficking market. Bali Police spokesperson Ary Sandi declined to comment on the investigation. Lyons, alleged leader of the Lyons crime family, has been wanted by Spain and Britain for about two years following a killing in Spain in 2024.
Bali Police Chief Daniel Adityajaya said Lyons’ arrest was part of a joint investigation involving Indonesian, Spanish and Scottish authorities. Police allege Lyons led a transnational criminal network controlling narcotics trafficking routes between Spain and the UK, and laundering money through shell companies across Europe and the Middle East.
Prior to his arrest, coordinated raids in Scotland and Spain resulted in multiple arrests, with additional suspects detained in Turkey, the Netherlands and the UAE. Scottish media report that Lyons survived a shooting in Glasgow in 2006 that killed his cousin, later moved to Spain, and eventually settled in Dubai. Last year, his brother and an associate were killed in a suspected gangland attack in Fuengirola, Spain.
