Former Netherlands star handed six-year prison sentence for smuggling more than 1,350kg of cocaine

A court in Amsterdam has sentenced former Netherlands international Quincy Promes to six years in prison for his involvement in cocaine smuggling.

Promes, who currently plays for Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow, was charged last May over his alleged involvement in smuggling more than 1,350 kilos of cocaine with a value of £65 million.

According to a report from Dutch outlet Het Parool, two batches containing 650 kilos and 713 kilos of cocaine were intercepted in the port of Antwerp at the end of January 2020.

And now, the former FC Twente, Sevilla and Ajax forward has been sentenced to a prison term of six years, according to Voetbal International, who claim there is a 'good chance' he will appeal against the imposed sentence.

Promes did not attend the court hearing in Amsterdam and is said to have denied involvement in the smuggling of cocaine through the port of Antwerp.

Prosecutors initially called for Promes to receive a nine-year prison sentence. “The case came to light after the police Criminal Intelligence Team received information that the 32-year-old man who now lives in Russia was involved in the cocaine trade,” they said.

“He is also said to own crypto phones and has invested €200,000 in the trade.

“That information prompted an investigation to be launched. Eavesdropping equipment was placed in the suspect's car and the suspect was observed.

“The accuracy of the TCI information was confirmed, partly by seized telephones from others in which conversations were found in which the suspects also participated.

“Many chat messages made it clear that both suspects were involved in bringing in, removing and further transporting and selling these two consignments.”

Image credit: Getty

Last year, Promes was sentenced to 18 months in prison for assault after he allegedly stabbed his cousin in the knee during a family party.

The original incident dated back to a family gathering back in July 2020. According to multiple reports, Promes held a party at a warehouse in Abcoude and got into an altercation with a male family member.

He stabbed the individual with a knife and caused serious injuries, prompting his arrest in December, where he spent two days in jail before being released.