Saturday , November 23 2024

Dutch footballer Promes arrested in Dubai on request of Netherlands

The Hague, March 14 (HS). Dutch professional footballer Quincy Promes, convicted of drug trafficking and stabbing his cousin, has been arrested in Dubai at the request of Dutch authorities, the Dutch public prosecutor said on Wednesday.

According to the press statement, the arrest was the result of constructive cooperation between the authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Netherlands. This arrest was made on the basis of red notice issued by Netherlands. The Netherlands will now request Promes' extradition.

A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement around the world to locate and temporarily arrest an individual pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. This is based on an arrest warrant or court order issued by judicial authorities in the requesting country. Member states apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.

Last month an Amsterdam court sentenced Promes in absentia to six years in prison for his involvement in the smuggling of a large consignment of cocaine. Dutch government prosecutors had asked for a nine-year sentence, adding that he had also been jailed for 1.5 years for stabbing his cousin at a family party last year.

The 32-year-old Promes, who played 50 matches for the Dutch national team, moved to Spartak Moscow from Ajax in February 2021 and as a resident of Moscow he has remained elusive to the Dutch police until now. However, a training camp in the UAE with his Russian club turned out to be fatal for him.

“According to various media reports, the arrested individual was reportedly living in Dubai,” the Dutch government prosecutor was quoted as saying by Xinhua. However, due to the efforts of the authorities of both the countries, he has been taken into custody. “At this time, it is not possible to provide additional information to avoid disruption of the ongoing investigation.”

The Netherlands has an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates since 2021, in which it has been agreed that both countries will extradite individuals who are wanted for the purpose of criminal prosecution or enforcement of an irrevocable judgment.