Dutch soccer star facing prison time for cocaine smuggling extradited from Dubai

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch soccer player Quincy Promes was being extradited Friday from Dubai to the Netherlands, where he faces a prison sentence for involvement in cocaine smuggling, the prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press.

The Dutch public prosecution service confirmed to the AP that Promes was en route to the Netherlands, in Dutch custody.

Promes, who scored seven goals in 50 international matches for the Netherlands before legal issues derailed his international career, was convicted last year of complicity in cocaine smuggling and sentenced in his absence to six years in prison.

Amsterdam District Court ruled that Promes was involved in the import and export of hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of cocaine in 2020. His lawyers told judges he denied the allegations.

In 2023, Promes was found guilty of stabbing his cousin in the leg and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Both of Promes’ convictions are currently under appeal.

Promes, a 33-year-old former player for Ajax and Sevilla, had been playing for Spartak Moscow and living in Russia from 2021 until last year, when he was reportedly arrested in Dubai around the time that Spartak was there for friendly games. More recently, he had been playing with United FC, a second-tier club in Dubai.