Lyons was arrested on March 28 at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport after arriving from Singapore, when immigration systems flagged him as the subject of an Interpol Red Notice. 

Who is Steven Lyons?

Lyons is identified by law enforcement agencies as a senior figure in an international crime syndicate and the alleged leader of the Lyons crime group in Scotland. Police said the group has been involved in a long-running and violent feud with a rival organization for more than two decades.

Lyons previously lived in Spain before relocating to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. He has been on Spain’s wanted list for about two years, following a 2024 killing linked to investigations in the country. His wife was also arrested in Dubai in a related operation, and both are wanted by Spanish authorities.

Indonesian police said Lyons is suspected of leading a transnational criminal network operating across multiple jurisdictions, including Spain, Scotland, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Turkey.

What is he wanted for?

Spanish authorities are seeking Lyons over allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering and membership in a criminal organization. Investigators from Spain’s Civil Guard estimate that funds laundered by the network exceed €30 million.

Officials said the group allegedly used shell companies across Europe and the Middle East to conceal illicit proceeds and facilitate financial flows linked to narcotics trafficking routes between Spain and the United Kingdom.

The case is part of a broader multinational investigation involving Indonesian, Spanish and Scottish authorities, with coordinated raids carried out in locations including Glasgow, Barcelona and Malaga. Additional arrests have been reported in Turkey, the Netherlands and the UAE, with support from Europol.

What Indonesian authorities said

Indonesian officials described Lyons as a “mafia boss” and Interpol fugitive, emphasizing that his deportation reflects the country’s stance against international criminal activity.

“We will not allow Indonesian territory, especially Bali, to become a haven or operational base for international criminals,” said Bugie Kurniawan, head of the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office.

Bali police chief Daniel Adityajaya said Lyons was believed to be the leader of a “large-scale transnational criminal organisation engaged in drug trafficking and money laundering.”

Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of Interpol’s Indonesia bureau, said the group’s operations spanned multiple regions, underscoring the cross-border nature of the investigation.

Authorities added that two associates who arrived in Bali on the same flight as Lyons remain unaccounted for, with no arrest warrants currently issued against them.

These women consider the opportunity a renewed hope for a better future. 

"I'm so happy and glad I can study again because becoming a doctor is my dream," Masuma Zakii who had her education interrupted when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 told the AFP.

Zahra Hussaini, a 20-year-old medical student, expressed how moving to Scotland gave her new hope. "It has given me hope for a better future. I can become a doctor, be financially independent, and serve my family and community to the best of my ability," she said.

Hussaini further aspires to become a surgeon, a role desperately needed in her home country adding that " Because it is a traditional society and generally when a woman is in need of surgery, if the surgeon is male, there is some restrictions from the family that the woman shouldn't be treated by a male surgeon. So I think that becoming a female surgeon in my own country would be, you know, something which can benefit myself and also my society."

The Taliban's return to power brought a rather severe interpretation of Islamic law , restricting women's rights, including education. 

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Honors Committee 2024 described Lokko’s work to "democratise architecture" as a "clarion call for equitable representation in policies, planning, and design that shape our spaces."

RIBA commended her impactful work, particularly her focus on Africa and the Global South.

The award, presented on behalf of His Majesty the King by RIBA and approved by the monarch each year, is considered one of the highest honours in architecture globally. Since the award was established in 1848, she became the first African woman to receive it.

"It was something that I never, ever imagined would ever come my way," Lokko was quoted by local media Ghanaian media GhanaWeb . "The first person I wanted to tell was my father who is no longer here. It is bittersweet in a way, but it was also an incredible moment of validation.”

Lokko is an architecture teacher and academic in universities and other institutions around the world . She holds a PhD in Architecture from the University of London and has authored numerous works.

In 2023, Lokko made history as the first woman of African descent to curate the Venice Biennale's architecture event. She founded the African Futures Institute in Accra, Ghana, in 2021, aiming to reimagine "Africa as the crucible of the future".

"A fierce champion of equity and inclusion in all aspects of life, Lesley Lokko's progressive approach to architecture education offers hope for the future – a profession that welcomes those from all walks of life, considers the needs of our environment and acknowledges a broad range of cultures and perspectives," the World Architecture Community quoted RIBA president Muyiwa Oki.

The 2024 Royal Gold Medal will be formally presented to Lokko in London on May 2, 2024. This prestigious honour adds to Lokko's list of awards, including an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2023 for her services to architecture and education, and the RIBA Annie Spink Award in 2020.

“I’m delighted to be considered alongside some of the great past winners of the Royal Gold Medal," Lokko was quoted by the World Architecture Community . "I came into architecture seeking certainties, looking for answers. Instead, I found questions and possibilities, far richer, more curious, and more empathetic ways to interpret and shape the world."