Scottish 'mafia boss' can be extradited to Spain, Dutch court rules

A Scottish 'mafia boss' can be extradited to Spain, a court in Amsterdam ruled.

Amsterdam judges granted Spain's request to extradite Steven Lyons during a hearing on Thursday.

As the alleged head of the infamous Lyon crime clan based in Scotland, he is accused of running a global criminal empire.

The gang is said to be involved in money laundering, shifting millions through shell companies and drug trafficking.

Lyons was initially captured in Bali on March 28, where Indonesian authorities paraded him in an orange prison suit and handcuffs and branded him a "mafia fugitive".

He was then deported from Indonesia under a European Arrest Warrant issued by Spanish authorities.

Since Spain has no extradition treaty with Indonesia, he was sent to the Netherlands as part of the process.

During a previous extradition hearing, Dutch lawyers acting for Lyons told the hearing his removal to Spain should be blocked as his human rights were violated during his arrest.

His solicitor said: "This is in reality a secretive extradition, basically kidnapping of my client."

Sky News' Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies, who was following events in court on Thursday, said judges "roundly rejected" that accusation.

He added that, since there was no appeal process, this was a "massive, significant moment" for "Spanish authorities trying to get their man".

Spanish police told Sky News that Lyons' imminent arrival on Spanish soil will be the "cherry on top" after a three-year investigation.

Read more from Sky News:
What's in the US-Iran deal?
Oil refinery hit by Ukraine
Two jailed for spying for China

In a written ruling, the International Legal Assistance Division of the District Court of Amsterdam said it had "authorised the surrender of the requested person to Spain".

It found "no evidence of a general risk that suspects in criminal procedures will not receive a fair trial in Spain," adding that it was for the Spanish courts to assess whether Lyons' right to a fair trial had been infringed.

Lyons detention follows a huge cross-border operation involving Spain's Guardia Civil, Police Scotland, Europol and authorities in several other countries.

Police raids linked to the investigation have already swept through Spain, Scotland and other parts of Europe, with officers seizing high-end watches, cash, electronic devices and crypto wallets.

(c) Sky News 2026: Scottish 'mafia boss' can be extradited to Spain, Dutch court rules