Former professional football player David Mendes da Silva (40) was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of drug trafficking. Insiders confirm this to ANP news agency in response to reporting from The Telegraph. The Public Prosecution Service only confirms to ANP that “a 40-year-old man was arrested on Thursday in an investigation into criminal activities”.
According to The Telegraph Da Silva is also suspected of money laundering and is involved in the illegal gambling site Edobet. The name of the former professional football player from Rotterdam would have emerged in an investigation into large-scale cocaine smuggling. In recent weeks, he attracted the attention of the police by withdrawing large amounts of cash. The Rotterdam police have Da Silva according to The Telegraph arrested at his birthday party after they suspected he was planning to flee abroad.
The ex-pro football player has played at Ajax, Sparta, AZ, the Greek club Panathinaikos and the Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg, among others. He played seven times for the Dutch national team and became national champion with AZ in 2009.