Major Scottish gangland figure Steven Lyons arrested in Bali

Steven Lyons, one of Scotland's most high-profile gangland figures, has been arrested by police in Bali, BBC Scotland News understands.

The operation follows reports earlier this month that Lyons had been arrested in Bahrain - five months after being released from custody in Dubai.

It comes after police in Scotland and Spain carried out a series of simultaneous raids on Friday, following a two-year investigation into serious organised crime.

Co-ordinated with the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), it targeted alleged members of the Lyons, Scotland's dominant crime group, and resulted in 13 arrests.

BBC Scotland News understands that Steven Lyons was arrested on the Indonesian island by local officers on behalf of Spain's Guardia Civil.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are aware of the arrest of a Scottish nominal in Bali and we are working closely with European partners."

Steven Lyons is the head of the Lyons clan, which has been involved in a bloody feud with the rival Daniel group for more than 20 years.

In 2006 Steven Lyons survived a shooting at a garage in Lambhill, in the north of Glasgow, which claimed the life of his cousin, Michael Lyons.

He later moved to Spain before settling in Dubai.

Last May, Steven Lyons' brother, Eddie Lyons Jnr, and Ross Monaghan were shot dead in a beachfront bar in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.

Both men had spent the evening watching the Champions League final before they were targeted by a lone gunman.

Michael Riley, 44, from Liverpool, has been accused by Spanish police of the murders.

He had challenged an extradition bid but the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed in October that he had given his consent to be taken to Spain to face prosecution.

In the days after the double shooting a Spanish National Police detective said the suspect was a member of the rival Daniel gang.

But Police Scotland have maintained there is nothing to suggest the murders in Spain are linked to the ongoing gang war or that it was planned in Scotland.

On Friday, the joint Scottish-Spanish operation targeted properties in Bellshill, Glasgow, Gartcosh, Whitburn, Caldercruix, Cumbernauld, Coatbridge, Barcelona and in the Malaga area.

Officers made eight arrests in Scotland and five in Spain.

Det Ch Insp George Calder told BBC Scotland News the investigation was probing alleged high-level involvement in organised crime, drugs and money laundering.

He added: "This day of action has been the result of over two years of investigative work that's been carried out diligently carried out by officers not only here, but by other agencies, including the National Crime Agency and the Guardia Civil.

"We have got a number of officers over in Spain, assisting the Spanish authorities with their inquiries.

"We're sharing intelligence, information and resources."

Police Scotland said the inquiry pre-dated last year's gangland feud in central Scotland which resulted in a series of assaults, shootings and firebombings.

A number of properties were set alight in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas in March before the attacks spread to the west at the beginning of April.

The force launched Operation Portaledge in response and it has so far resulted in more than 60 arrests.

On Friday it emereged Scottish and Spanish officers were supported by colleagues from Europol and 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 about €600,000 (£520,000), as well as shares in a company.

Europol said statements had also been taken from four Turkish citizens as witnesses.

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