Profile of Steven Lyons, the Scottish Mafia Boss Arrested in Bali

A British national, Steven Lyons (45), was arrested in Bali. This Interpol fugitive is known as a prominent mafia boss in Scotland. According to the BBC, Steven Lyons is identified as the head of the Lyons clan, originally based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. The clan has been involved in a bloody feud lasting more than 20 years with its rival group, the Daniel clan, based in Glasgow, Scotland. The Lyons clan later became known as a notorious mafia group there. In 2006, Steven Lyons survived a shooting in a garage in Lambhill, northern Glasgow, which claimed the life of his cousin, Michael Lyons. He then moved to Spain before settling in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Initially, the Lyons criminal alliance included ties to the Dubai-based Kinahan crime group. It is reported that he built a relationship with the son of the founder, Daniel Kinahan—a former boxing promoter—while living in Costa del Sol, Spain. Meanwhile, Stephen Dempster, producer of the documentary ‘Kinahan: The True Story of Ireland’s Mafia’, stated that in the mid-2010s, the Lyons group had grown larger and wealthier by leveraging the global cartel network. Then, in May 2025, Steven Lyons’ brother, Eddie Lyons Jr, and Ross Monaghan were shot dead in a beachside bar in Fuengirola, Costa del Sol. The two men had spent the night watching the Champions League final before becoming targets of a lone gunman. The man from Liverpool, Michael Riley (44), was accused by Spanish police as the perpetrator of the murders. He had challenged extradition efforts, but in October, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that he had consented to be brought to Spain to face legal proceedings. In the days following the double shooting, an investigator from Spain’s National Police stated that the suspect was a member of the rival Daniel criminal group. However, Scottish Police emphasised that there was no indication that the murder in Spain was linked to the ongoing war between criminal groups or that the attack was planned in Scotland. Scottish Police Uncover Lyons Mafia Network The Scottish Police stated that the investigation into this mafia network began before the inter-group criminal feud last year in Scotland. Several properties were set on fire in Edinburgh and surrounding areas in March 2025, before the attacks spread to the west in early April. The police then launched Operation Portaledge in response, which has so far resulted in more than 60 arrests. Police from Scotland and Spain received support from Europol as well as officers in the Netherlands, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Officers in Turkey seized two plots of land and a villa estimated to be worth around £520,000, as well as shares in a company. Europol stated that they also took statements from four Turkish nationals as witnesses. Detected in Bali In early March 2026, Steven Lyons was reported to have been arrested in Bahrain. He was arrested again five months after being released from detention in Dubai. However, within a few weeks, Steven Lyons’ whereabouts became a mystery. Shortly after, he was detected travelling to Bali. He is suspected of being the mastermind behind the operation of several shell companies and involved in a money laundering case. Arrested in Bali Previously, Lyons was arrested by a joint team from the Indonesian National Police’s International Relations Division (Hubinter), Bali Regional Police, and Immigration at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar, Bali, on Saturday (28/3/2026) at around 11:58 WITA. Secretary of Indonesia’s NCB-Interpol, Brigadier General Untung Widiyatmoko, stated that this arrest was a direct result of sharp detection and global intelligence cooperation. “The success of this arrest stemmed from a very rapid and precise exchange of intelligence information. Indonesia’s NCB Interpol received notification from NCB Abu Dhabi that the red notice subject was en route to Indonesian territory. Based on that data, Polri’s Divhubinter immediately instructed interception measures and coordinated intensively with Bali Regional Police and Immigration authorities,” said Brigadier General Untung Widiyatmoko on Tuesday (31/3). Steven Lyons is listed in Interpol Red Notice number A-4908/3-2026, issued on 26 March 2026. This arrest in Indonesia is an integral part of ‘Operation Armourum’, a multinational joint investigation initiated by Spain’s Guardia Civil Central Operative Unit and Police Scotland. Furthermore, Brigadier General Untung Widiyatmoko emphasised Polri’s commitment that Indonesia will not provide space for organised crime perpetrators. Currently, Indonesian authorities have decided to deport the suspect immediately to face trial in Europe. To ensure the smooth and secure process of deportation, Polri has facilitated the arrival of two officers from Spain’s Guardia Civil who arrived in Bali on Monday (30/3) afternoon at 16:35 WITA. The two will coordinate directly with Indonesian authorities for the handover and repatriation of the suspect.