Ex-football
star arrested for drug trafficking
Former Colombia international Jhon Viafara has been arrested
on suspicion of drug trafficking and could be extradited to face charges in the
United States, the public prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old former midfielder was one of five persons
detained on Tuesday in the western city of Jamundi and Medellin, in the north
west of Columbia, in a joint operation between the public prosecutor’s office
and the judicial police.
“According to investigations conducted by US authorities,
the detainees were part of a transnational network that had links to the Clan
del Golfo criminal structure,” said the public prosecutor, referring to the
infamous drug cartel.
Viafara is suspected of having sent cocaine in speedboats
and semi-submersible vessels from Colombia to the US via Central America from
2008 to 2018.
He was allegedly known in the group as the “Footballer” and
was in charge of paying transporters and establishing contacts to send the
shipments to Central America.
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Police said they seized 2.5 tons of cocaine worth $28
million from Viafara’s group in 2017 and 2018.
All five detainees are subject to an extradition request by
the US state of Texas, where they’re wanted for drug trafficking.
Viafara played one season in the English Premier League for
Portsmouth and after a loan spell with Spaniards Real Sociedad, also represented
Southampton in the Championship for two seasons.
He had made his name in his homeland, scoring a goal as Once
Caldas beat Argentina giants Boca Juniors in the 2004 Copa Libertadores final.
He played more than 40 times for Colombia, scoring once, and
appeared for his country at the Copa America in 2004 and 2007.
He retired in 2015 after almost 20 years as a player.
He’s not the first Colombian footballer to be caught up in a
drug trafficking scandal.
Former full back Diego Leon Osorio was sentenced in February
to five years of house arrest for trying to traffick a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of
cocaine to Spain.
Last year, former Real Madrid and Napoli midfielder Freddy
Rincon was exonerated in a drug trafficking and money-laundering case in Panama.
Colombia is the world’s biggest producer of cocaine, much of
which is destined for the lucrative US market. (NAN)