Convicted pro footballer Quincy Promes detained in Dubai: report

Quincy Promes, the pro footballer recently convicted of drug trafficking in the Netherlands, has been detained in Dubai. He was stopped at a border control before flying back to Russia with his team, Spartak Moscow, the Telegraaf reports.

Quincy and his club were in Dubai for a football training camp. Their flight back to Russia was on Thursday. Promes was detained before getting on the plane and taken to a police station in Dubai, accompanied by security officials from Spartak Moscow. Sources in Russia told the Telegraaf that Promes was still at the police station on Friday morning, Dutch time.

The reason for Promes’ detainment is still unclear. Two weeks ago, a Dutch court sentenced Promes to six years in prison for his part in trafficking 1,350 kilograms of cocaine through the port of Antwerp. Last year, another Dutch court sentenced him to 1.5 years in prison for stabbing a family member in Abcoude.

The Netherlands doesn’t have an extradition treaty with Russia, so Promes could avoid prison time as long as he remains in that country. The Dutch authorities do have a limited extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates, which includes Dubai.

In the past, there have been sporadic arrests in Dubai at the Netherlands’ request. That includes the arrest of crime boss Ridouan Taghi, who was sentenced to life in prison this week for leading a criminal organization and ordering multiple assassinations and attempted assassinations. After his arrest in Dubai, the Dutch police chief praised the cooperation between the Dutch and Dubai authorities.

According to the Telegraaf, the Russia suspects Promes’ arrest is linked to the recent conviction in the Netherlands. A spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service (OM) told the newspaper that it was unaware of the footballer’s detention.