Convicted of cocaine trafficking
Russia protects professional footballer from long prison sentence
February 14, 2024, 12:25 p.m
Main job as a footballer and part-time drug smuggler. Or the other way around? Quincy Promes is convicted of involvement in drug trafficking. The former Dutch international will probably avoid his prison sentence through his involvement in Russia.
Former Dutch international footballer Quincy Promes has been sentenced to six years in prison for involvement in drug trafficking. This was decided by a court in Amsterdam. The court considers it proven that Promes, who was not present, was involved in the smuggling of more than 1,350 kilograms of cocaine through the port of Antwerp in January 2020.
A second defendant, a cousin of Promes, was also sentenced to six years in prison. The public prosecutor’s office had demanded nine years in prison for the professional footballer. It is unclear when and whether Promes, who made his debut in the Dutch national team in 2014 and played his 50th and probably last international match in June 2021, will serve his sentence.
The 32-year-old plays for Spartak Moscow in Russia and has no plans to leave the country. In addition, Russia and the Netherlands do not have an extradition treaty. Promes’ lawyers had previously argued that the former Ajax Amsterdam professional’s “labor obligations” took precedence over the criminal investigation. He also told his lawyers that he denied any guilt. He made no statement in court.
Promes and his co-defendant and uncle, who has already been convicted, are said to belong to a network of drug dealers, many of whose members have now been arrested. Promes had previously been sentenced to 18 months in prison for injuring his cousin with a knife. In this context, Promes must also pay compensation to the injured party.
The prosecution primarily presented intercepted encrypted reports. According to the court, it is clear from these that Promes was involved in the smuggling. The investigators got on the trail of the footballer thanks to a tip. It was about two loads of cocaine that had been smuggled between sacks of sea salt on a container ship from Brazil to Antwerp.