In a major raid

Drug smuggling? Scandalous professional arrested

Radja Nainggolan(Bild: GEPA)

Serious allegations against Radja Nainggolan! According to media reports, the former Belgian international has been arrested in a major raid in Brussels. The suspicion: drug smuggling.

Specifically, it is suspected that the 30-time former international was involved in smuggling cocaine from South America into the port of Antwerp. The Brussels police are investigating and the public prosecutor's office confirmed the raid. "As part of a case of the organized crime department of the Brussels public prosecutor's office, which was entrusted to a Brussels investigating judge, the criminal police carried out 30 searches on Monday morning," the public prosecutor's office reported. Nainggolan was also arrested in this context.

Ex-Roma player recently joined second division club
At the peak of his career, he played for top clubs such as AS Roma and Inter Milan. In August 2021, the 36-year-old finally returned to his Belgian homeland to Royal Antwerp on a free transfer after several loan deals. After brief spells at third division club SPAL (Italy) and second division club Bhayangkara Presisi FC (Indonesia), he had been without a contract since the summer. Just a few days ago, Nainggolan moved to Belgian second division club Lokeren-Temse, where he signed a contract until June 2025. The club found out about the investigation into its player from the media, the second division club announced. In view of the presumption of innocence, no further comment will be made. "We can only confirm that the player did not take part in training this morning," it said.

Nainggolan has hit the headlines in the past because, according to media reports, he lost his driving license for driving under the influence of alcohol. Royal Antwerp once suspended him for smoking an e-cigarette while sitting on the substitutes' bench.