Scottish gang boss Steven Lyons appears in Dutch court over extradition to Spain

Scottish crime boss Steven Lyons has appeared in a Dutch court over his extradition to Spain from the Netherlands

The 45-year-old has been held in Amsterdam since being deported from Indonesia, having been arrested on arrival in Bali in March, following a major international police operation to take down a global crime gang.

He is believed to be the head of the notorious Lyons crime family based in Glasgow, which detectives say has played a significant role in the funnelling of drugs into Scotland, money laundering and outbursts of violence throughout Europe for decades.

Lyons was flown from Indonesia to Amsterdam on Wednesday, April 8.

Authorities want to send him to Spain to face charges related to drug trafficking and money laundering.

Spanish police said their operation “dismantled” the Lyons Clan, calling it the most violent Scottish criminal organisation of recent decades.

Steven Lyons was arrested on arrival in Bali, Indonesia, in March, following a major international police operation to take down a global crime gang. Imigrasi Ngurah Rai

It follows the issuing of a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) by a judge in Malaga. This is a simplified cross-border judicial surrender procedure between European Union member states.

The Guardia Civil said the investigation, dubbed Operation Armorum, has led to the arrests of 14 people in Spain, Scotland, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

Additional suspects were detained in Turkey, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates, including his partner, Amanda Lyons.

On Thursday, the gang leader faced a surrender hearing – an “expedited system” designed to ensure individuals cannot evade justice simply by crossing an internal EU border.

The judgment on his extradition to Spain will be made on June 18.