Former Wigan Athletic defender Ronnie Stam has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a multi-million-pound drug smuggling operation.
The 41-year-old, who played three seasons in the Premier League from 2010 to 2013, was accused of attempting to bring £48 million worth of cocaine — around 2,217 kilograms — into the Netherlands. Prosecutors had sought a 13-year sentence, but Stam was acquitted of two of the most serious charges.
Instead, he was found guilty of smuggling 724 kilograms of cocaine into the country, along with MDMA, and possessing 18 litres of nitrous oxide. The court in Breda also heard he was involved in laundering £2 million and had plotted to traffic 20 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil to Frankfurt. Stam admitted to that plot, saying his payment would have equalled the value of one kilo of cocaine, and expressed regret over his involvement with criminal associates.
A former Dutch Eredivisie winner with FC Twente under Steve McClaren, Stam retired from football in 2016 before turning to crime. As part of his punishment, he must repay £1.7 million in illicit profits in addition to serving his prison term.
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