Former Champions League star Radja Nainggolan arrested on suspicion of smuggling cocaine as police raid 30 houses
Former Champions League star Radja Nainggolan arrested on suspicion of smuggling cocaine as police raid 30 houses
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RADJA NAINGGOLAN has been arrested on suspicion of smuggling cocaine, according to reports. The 30-cap Belgian midfielder joined second-tier Lokeren-Temse in his homeland last Tuesday. He marked his debut on Friday by scoring an Olympic goal directly from a corner to rescue a 1-1 draw.
![[Radja Nainggolan and Daniel Perez of KSC Lokeren-Temse during a soccer match.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/f8d0a465-1ecc-4764-b78b-979a0c9354a0.jpg?strip=all&w=855)
However, reports in Belgium on Monday morning revealed the former Roma and Inter Milan star was detained by police as part of an investigation into smuggling drugs from South America via the port of Antwerp. Approximately 30 houses were raided in the areas of Antwerp and Brussels as part of the sting.
![[Radja Nainggolan of FC Internazionale during a pre-season friendly match.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/radja-nainggolan-fc-internazionale-looks-967080266.jpg?strip=all&w=640)
The Brussels public prosecutor's office said: "The federal judicial police of Brussels carried out thirty house searches on Monday morning in the context of a file from the Organized Crime department of the Brussels public prosecutor's office. "The house searches mainly took place in the province of Antwerp and in Brussels.
“The investigation concerns suspected facts of importing cocaine from South America to Europe, via the port of Antwerp, and its redistribution in Belgium. "We can confirm that the footballer RN (Radja Nainggolan) was deprived of his liberty in the context of that case.
"Given that the interrogations are currently underway, and in compliance with the principle of presumption of innocence, no further comment will be made at this stage.". GVA in Belgium added that Nainggolan’s lawyer Omar Souidi is on his way to support his client.
