Dutch international striker Quincy Promes, who plays for Spartak Moscow, was sentenced to six years in prison for smuggling more than a ton of cocaine into the Netherlands, the Amsterdam District Court said. Wednesday.
The president of the court, Mr. Vaandrager estimated that Promes had played
“a crucial role”
in the importation of 1,363 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil in 2020, via the Belgian port of Antwerp to the Netherlands, with the help from an accomplice.
The latter, found guilty of the same charges, as well as money laundering, was also sentenced to six years in prison.
The judgment is based in particular on telephone tapping and encrypted messages, which the player sent under the pseudonym
“Fantasma”
.
Prosecutors had sought a nine-year prison sentence for Promes, who has pleaded not guilty and will appeal, according to his lawyers.
Mr Vaandrager argued in his judgment that the striker, who also played for Ajax Amsterdam, was an example to many, especially young people, because of his footballing skills.
“The suspect regularly makes headlines, is active on social media and has fans around the world
,” the judge said.
“It is all the more serious that he attempted to increase his wealth... by participating in major international drug trafficking (...) All things considered, the court considers that a sentence of six years imprisonment is appropriate.”
Fearing arrest by Dutch police, the 32-year-old, who has 50 caps for the Oranje, was not present at the Amsterdam District Court to hear the sentence, a spokesperson told AFP.
Placed under an international arrest warrant, he has so far not been extradited by Russia.
Promes has also already been sentenced to 18 months in prison in connection with another case, for stabbing a cousin over a stolen necklace.