Former Ajax midfielder accused of smuggling £65million-worth of cocaine amid attempted murder trial

Dutch midfielder Quincy Promes has reportedly been accused of smuggling £65million-worth of cocaine. Promes is already on trial for attempted murder.

Promes, who currently plays for FC Spartak Moscow, is being prosecuted for importing more than 1,300kg of cocaine to Netherlands or Belgium in two shipments, confirms The Public Prosecution Service. Two batches of around 650kg and 713kg of cocaine were seized in the port of Antwerp at the end of January 2020, according to Dutch outlet NOS.

The Netherlands international is already being investigated for suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking and participation in a criminal organisation. Promes' pre-trial hearing is going to take place next Monday (June 5), which the midfielder is not expected to attend as he is set to play for Russian side Spartak Moscow in their final game of the 2022-23 season on Saturday.

Promes' lawyer Robert Malewicz, meanwhile, has declined to comment. "I will provide a further explanation during Monday's hearing," Malewicz told another Dutch outlet Het Parool.

Attempt to murder case

Having played for top clubs such as Ajax and Sevilla, Promes has also been capped 50 times for the Netherlands International Football Team.

Regarding the attempt to murder case against him, Promes was detained in December 2020 as a suspect in a stabbing incident in July that same year. The crime could see Promes behind bars for a maximum of four years.

In the incident, Promes was accused of stabbing a relative and was arrested. After spending two days in jail, the midfielder was released pending an investigation. The alleged victim was Promes' cousin. Before the stabbing incident, which took place after a family gathering in a warehouse in Abcoude, Promes and his cousin were believed to have gotten into an argument.

When this incident took place, the footballer was with Ajax. While he denied his involvement in the incident, in November 2021 Dutch prosecutors announced that he must be prosecuted. In March 2022, it was then known that Promes would face a specific charge of attempted murder. A court date was initially set for March 30, 2022, but it was later postponed due to a key participant of the trial falling ill and a new date was not immediately given.

"It was a shock for everyone, but I am glad I was released so quickly. I can't say more about it. I'm just as shocked as the rest of the world. It is something from my private life, I cannot say more about it. It feels good that people believe in me, that helps a lot. I don't want to waste any more energy on peripheral matters," Promes said in an interview after being released from jail.

A hearing, in this case, is also scheduled to take place on June 5, reported Reuters.

A Dutch footballer punches a fan

Another Dutch footballer found himself in trouble earlier this month after punching a rival fan. Steven Berghuis, who currently plays for Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie, hit a fan after his side lost 3-1 to FC Twente, which is one of his' former teams.

After a video went viral on social media, in which Berghuis was seen punching someone who appears to be a Twente supporter in front of the Ajax team bus, the Ajax midfielder sent out an official apology.

It was reported that after Ajax lost against FC Twente, a group of people approached Berghuis, who was waiting by the team bus outside the De Groslsch Veste. It looked like the former Watford player was irked by someone in the crowd, causing him to throw a punch. An official then intervened and controlled the situation before it escalated further, but Berghuis continued to exchange fiery words with the individual. Berghuis lashed out because the fan reportedly made "racist" comments to his Ajax teammate Brian Brobbey.