Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
Radja Nainggolan, a former Belgian footballer, was arrested in a cocaine trafficking investigation involving the Port of Antwerp.
By Charlotte Van Campenhout
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former Belgian national team player and current Lokeren-Temse midfielder Radja Nainggolan has been arrested in connection with an investigation into cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe, a source close to the investigation said on Monday.
The cocaine was allegedly trafficked through the Port of Antwerp, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office said in an official statement, adding that thirty house searches had been carried out on Monday as part of the probe. As per Belgian practice, the statement did not name Nainggolan, giving only his initials and profession.
The arrest was earlier reported by local media.
Nainggolan's management team did not immediately reply to Reuters' request for comment.
Nainggolan's club Lokeren-Temse said in a statement that the player was absent from training on Monday morning. The club added it respected the presumption of innocence and declined to comment further.
Last year, former Dutch international Quincy Promes was sentenced to six years in prison in absentia by a Dutch court for his involvement in smuggling of 1,360 kg (3,000 pounds) of cocaine through the Belgian port to the Netherlands in two shipments in 2020.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Former Belgian national team player Radja Nainggolan was arrested in connection with an investigation into cocaine trafficking.
The cocaine was allegedly trafficked through the Port of Antwerp, according to the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office.
Nainggolan's club Lokeren-Temse stated that he was absent from training and respected the presumption of innocence, declining to comment further.
The article mentions that former Dutch international Quincy Promes was sentenced to six years in prison for his involvement in smuggling cocaine.
Nainggolan's management team did not immediately reply to Reuters' request for comment regarding the arrest.
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