Spanish police ‘dismantle’ Scottish drugs gang as crime boss arrested

Spanish police ‘dismantle’ Scottish drugs gang as crime boss arrested

Spanish authorities have claimed to dismantle a drug trafficking group associated with the Lyons family. The Civil Guard reported that Steven Lyons, a prominent Scottish gang leader, was apprehended in the Netherlands following his deportation from Bali. The 45-year-old man from Glasgow was captured on 28 March after arriving in Indonesia from Singapore.

The operation, named Armorum, led to 14 arrests across four countries and has placed 20 additional individuals under scrutiny. A spokesperson for the Civil Guard noted that Lyons is expected to reach Spain within two to three weeks, though delays could occur if he contests extradition. His arrest coincided with the detention of his wife, Amanda, in Dubai, as per an Interpol Red Notice.

“We will not allow Indonesian territory, especially Bali, to become a haven or base of operations for international criminals,” stated Bugie Kurniawan, head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, confirming Lyons’ deportation.

The Civil Guard highlighted the seizure of electronic devices, substantial cash, company files, luxury timepieces, and cryptocurrency wallets during recent raids. These took place mostly on the Costa Del Sol and Barcelona, as part of a three-year joint investigation with Police Scotland. The group’s operations span Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with a sophisticated money laundering system involving shell companies and cross-border financial deals.

The statement emphasized the gang’s capacity to function in multiple countries simultaneously, including Spain, the UAE, and Turkey, while forming partnerships with other criminal networks. This has established the Lyons family as a major force in modern European organized crime.

Lyons, the head of the Lyons group, has been embroiled in a rivalry with the Daniel gang for over two decades. In 2006, he survived a shooting at a Glasgow garage, which claimed his cousin’s life. He relocated to Spain before eventually settling in Dubai, where he is connected to the Kinahan crime group.

Earlier this year, his brother Eddie Lyons Jnr and associate Ross Monaghan were killed in a Fuengirola bar. Spanish police have accused Michael Riley, a 44-year-old Liverpool resident, of the murders. Riley initially opposed extradition but later agreed to face charges in Spain. A National Police detective suggested he was linked to the Daniel gang, though Police Scotland insists the killings were unrelated to the broader conflict.