Dutch football star Quincy Promes, who was sentenced in absentia to six years in prison for drug trafficking, faces being extradited to the Netherlands after being arrested by authorities in the UAE.
The Spartak Moscow forward was detained by police in Dubai after Dutch prosecutors issued an international warrant for his arrest.
Prosecutors did not confirm his name but a statement said a 32-year-old man who lives in Moscow was arrested in Dubai.
“The arrest was made based on a red notice issued by the Netherlands, which will request the extradition of the man,” Amsterdam Public Prosecution office said on Wednesday.
“The arrested man was reportedly staying in luxury in Dubai, according to various media reports. However, he has been taken into custody thanks to the efforts of the authorities in both countries."
A report in Dutch media say he was arrested on March 1 for fleeing the scene of a traffic accident in Dubai.
Promes, who scored seven goals in 50 international matches for the Netherlands before legal issues derailed his international career, was convicted last month of complicity in cocaine smuggling and sentenced in his absence to six years in prison.
Amsterdam District Court ruled Promes was involved in the import and export of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine in 2020.
Promes, a former player for Ajax and Sevilla, did not appear at his trial. His lawyers told judges he denied all allegations.
