Quincy Promes, a former soccer player for Ajax Amsterdam and the Dutch national team, is facing a potential nine-year prison sentence in the Netherlands. The Dutch prosecutors have accused him of being involved in the smuggling of 1,370 kilograms of cocaine. Following the legal troubles, Promes sought refuge in Russia, where he currently plays for Spartak Moscow. The player had previously represented the team from 2014 to 2018 before moving to Sevilla and then back to Ajax Amsterdam.

In May of last year, Promes was charged with participating in the smuggling of two shipments of cocaine weighing 650 kilograms and 713 kilograms, intercepted in Antwerp in January 2020. The prosecutors claim that Promes and a 32-year-old accomplice are guilty of drug import, export, transportation, and possession. The prosecutors also argued that Promes’ wealth enabled him to invest in drug trafficking, portraying his involvement as glamorizing the trade. Despite the charges, Promes failed to appear at a court hearing in Amsterdam, with his lawyers denying the accusations against him.

Promes has had previous legal issues, including a conviction for assault in 2020, when he stabbed his cousin in the leg during a brawl. Consequently, he was no longer called up to the national team and decided to leave the country, finding sanctuary in Russia, which does not have an extradition treaty with the Netherlands.

The case against Promes was brought to light after a police intelligence team received information implicating him in cocaine trafficking. The prosecutors also pointed out that Promes owns cryptographic phones and invested 200,000 euros in the drug trade. Despite his legal troubles, Promes continued to play for the Dutch national team until 2021, when he became embroiled in another conflict with the law.