Quincy Promes will reportedly not be extradited to the Netherlands following his arrest at Dubai airport – despite the Spartak Moscow striker facing a six-year prison sentence for drug smuggling.
The former Ajax star was stopped at border control last week and was not allowed to travel back to Russia with his Spartak teammates.
On February 14, a Dutch court sentenced Promes to six years in prison for his role in smuggling over 1,350 kilos of cocaine in Antwerp in January 2020.
The Dutchman was also sentenced to 18 months in prison in June last year for stabbing his cousin.
Contrary to initial reports, Promes, 32, was not arrested in Dubai for these crimes, but rather for leaving the scene of a traffic accident while in the United Arab Emirates.
Spartak Moscow striker Quincy Promes will reportedly return to Russia on Tuesday after he was arrested at Dubai airport after leaving the scene of an accident
Promes was sentenced to six years in prison in the Netherlands for smuggling 1,350kg of cocaine in January 2020 and 18 months for stabbing his cousin at a party
According to Russian newspaper Sport Express, Promes will avoid a prison sentence for this offense and will instead have to pay a fine.
They say he will not be sent back to the Netherlands to face punishment for the other offenses and will reportedly return to Russia on Tuesday.
Some reports in Russia, carried by Voetbal Primeur in the Netherlands, suggest that Russian authorities intervened at a high level to ensure Promes' return to the country.
He will be available for the game against Fakel in the Russian Premier League this Sunday. Spartak held a training camp in the United Arab Emirates during the winter break of the Russian season.
A statement from the Dutch public prosecutor's office said: “We have informed the Dutch media that we have checked the reports about Promes' arrest and learned from our contact that Promes was arrested for a local offense and not for crimes committed in the Netherlands was arrested.”
“We will not answer the question of whether we will request his extradition or not for the time being.” That’s it. We have not indicated that we are negotiating [his extradition].'
Promes was indicted last May for his alleged involvement in cocaine smuggling, which was intercepted in Antwerp in January 2020 in the form of two batches of 650 kg and 713 kg each.
Prosecutors officially found Promes and a 32-year-old co-suspect guilty of importing, exporting, transporting and possessing the drugs.
Prosecutors recently said Promes “considers himself untouchable” as he pursues his career in Russia, where he flaunts his lavish lifestyle on Instagram
Promes was sentenced to six years in prison in 2020 for involvement in cocaine smuggling
It is believed that the cocaine was hidden in a shipment of sea salt from Brazil, from where the drugs were transported to Antwerp in two containers.
According to NOS, the former Ajax winger did not appear at the trial and therefore never made a statement about the offenses he was accused of.
Further reports suggest the former Netherlands international feels “untouchable” – given he avoided attending court hearings.
According to the NL Times, prosecutors said: “He appears to believe he is untouchable in Russia or abroad.”
In asking for the nine-year sentence, prosecutors claimed that Promes “normalizes and almost romanticizes the cocaine trade.”
Prosecutors allege that Promes' wealth meant he had money to invest and thereby moved up the corporate ladder.
Promes will reportedly be fined for walking away from the scene of the accident while in the United Arab Emirates
The stabbing of his cousin's leg occurred at a family party in a warehouse in Abcoude after Promes got into an argument over a stolen necklace.
At the time he was playing for Ajax in the Netherlands, but moved to Spartak in February 2021.
It is also reported that prosecutors wanted to know “how such a successful footballer allowed himself to be drawn so deeply into crime.”
Dutch officials had originally called for a nine-year prison sentence for the Spartak Moscow striker when the case was brought last month.