Spanish police 'dismantle' Scottish drugs gang as Steven Lyons arrested

Spanish police have announced the successful dismantling of a drug trafficking gang led by members of the Lyons family. The country’s Civil Guard revealed that Steven Lyons, a notorious figure in Scottish gangland, was apprehended in the Netherlands following his deportation from Bali earlier this week. This arrest is part of a broader operation that resulted in 14 arrests across four countries, with an additional 20 individuals currently under investigation.

The Civil Guard expects Lyons to be transferred to Spain within two or three weeks, although this timeline could be delayed if he contests his extradition. Known as Operation Armorum, this coordinated effort has also led to the identification and freezing of substantial assets connected to the Lyons network in Turkey. Authorities carried out 18 raids primarily targeting locations along the Costa Del Sol and in Barcelona, seizing a range of items including electronic devices, significant amounts of cash, company documentation, luxury watches, and cryptocurrency wallets.

According to official statements, the Lyons organisation operates an extensive criminal network spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. They have established a sophisticated money laundering scheme involving shell companies and international financial transactions, moving millions of euros earned through drug trafficking. The network’s capacity to simultaneously operate in multiple countries, such as Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, and to affiliate with other major criminal groups has cemented the clan’s reputation as a leading force in European organised crime.

Steven Lyons himself has a violent past; he survived a 2006 shooting at a garage in Lambhill, Glasgow, during which his cousin was killed. After spending time in Spain, he relocated to Dubai, where he has established connections to the Kinahan crime group. Indonesian authorities at Ngurah Rai Immigration Office labeled him a “mafia boss and Interpol fugitive,” with Bugie Kurniawan, head of the office, affirming that Indonesia will not permit its territory, specifically Bali, to serve as a refuge or operational base for international criminals. Spanish authorities are also pursuing Michael Riley, 44, from Liverpool, accused of murders linked to the case; despite initially opposing extradition, Riley has since agreed to face prosecution in Spain

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