Former Belgian footballer Radja Nainggolan has been arrested in a cocaine trafficking probe. He denies involvement and remains in custody.
Former Belgian football star Radja Nainggolan has been arrested as part of a cocaine trafficking investigation, according to reports.
Nainggolan, who currently plays for Lokeren-Temse, is being questioned about smuggling drugs from South America to Europe through the Port of Antwerp.
On Monday, authorities carried out 30 house searches connected to the case, but the official statement didn’t name Nainggolan directly.
Instead, they used his initials and profession, which is standard in Belgium.
Nainggolan’s lawyer, Omar Souidi, says the player is innocent, stating, “He’s a professional footballer, not a criminal.”
Souidi also confirmed that Nainggolan would stay in custody overnight, with more questioning set for Tuesday morning.
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Local news says about a dozen people have been arrested in the investigation so far. Nainggolan’s team hasn’t commented yet, and his club, Lokeren-Temse, mentioned he missed training on Monday.
The club said they respect the presumption of innocence and wouldn’t say more.
This situation has reminded many of a similar case involving Dutch footballer Quincy Promes, who was sentenced last year for smuggling 1,360 kg of cocaine through Belgium to the Netherlands.
For now, Nainggolan’s future is uncertain as investigations continue.
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