Quincy Promes, a former player for Ajax and Sevilla, has been sentenced to six years in prison for his involvement in smuggling hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the Netherlands. Despite residing in Moscow, Promes was convicted in absentia by the Amsterdam District Court.
The court found Promes guilty of participating in the import and export of large quantities of cocaine in 2020. This decision comes after prosecutors accused him of being linked to the smuggling of 1,360 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil through the port of Antwerp in Belgium to the Netherlands in two separate shipments.
Although Promes, who has scored seven goals in 50 international matches for the Netherlands, denies the allegations, the court stated that evidence from phone taps directly implicated him in the drug trafficking operation. The drugs were concealed within shipments of salt from Brazil and transported further from the port.
Despite his status as a highly-paid footballer with a significant social media following, Promes chose to involve himself in illegal activities, as noted by the court in its written verdict. Reports suggest that Promes is unlikely to return to the Netherlands anytime soon.
“This makes it even more objectionable that the suspect tries to increase his wealth (and possibly also prestige in certain circles) through involvement in large international drug transports,” the court said.
Promes’ lawyers told Dutch newspaper AD Promes would appeal his sentence, as he denies the charges of importing, exporting, transporting and possessing the drugs.
In another Dutch court case, he was last year sentenced in absentia to 18 months in jail for assault, in connection with a fight in 2020 in which he stabbed a cousin in the knee. Promes has filed an appeal against that sentence as well.
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