Former Man United target Quincy Promes prosecuted for smuggling cocaine

Former Netherlands international Quincy Promes is now being prosecuted by the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service (NPPS) for his alleged involvement in importing 1300kg of cocaine into Belgium.

Quincy Promes was been accused of being involved in the importation of two shipments of cocaine back to a port in Antwerp in 2020 after police tapped his phone and listened to his conversations.

The drug which was intercepted at Antwerp three years ago, has a staggering street value of £65m. A pre-trial hearing in the Netherlands will go ahead on June 5.

Promes is already being prosecuted for allegedly stabbing his cousin in the knee at a family event. The Spartak Moscow footballer previously denied the allegations but was allegedly heard confessing to the stabbing in a police wire-tap.

Dutch prosecutors have demanded a two-year prison sentence for the former Netherlands international in relation to the incident. That trial started on Friday and is alleged to have happened at a birthday party in Abacoude in 2020.

Promes has pleaded not guilty and did not attend the opening of the trial while he fulfils his contract in Russia. A charge of attempted murder was dropped by prosecutors amid insufficient evidence.

Promes is in his second spell in Russia, which does not have an extradition agreement with Holland. His lawyer Robert Malewicz has declined to comment on the new allegations levelled against his client but promised to “provide a further explanation during Monday’s hearing”.

Promes, who has played for several prominent European clubs in his career including Ajax, Sevilla and FC Twente, was once linked with a move to Manchester United.

Back when Louis van Gaal was in charge of the Red Devils, United made an approach to sign Promes from Twente after Van Gaal handed him his first international call-up, only for the winger to join Spartak in a £9.5m move instead.

He claimed afterwards that he turned down the chance to join the Premier League outfit as he didn’t feel ready for the move at the age of 23.

Promes has won 50 international caps for the Netherlands. He was part of the Dutch squad which was knocked out in the last 16 of Euro 2020. The footballer has not been called up since then.