Former Dutch National Team Player Sentenced to 7 Years in Cocaine Smuggling Case

A Dutch court has sentenced former “Oranje” national team player, David Mendes da Silva, to 7 years in prison after he was convicted of cocaine smuggling.

The court found Mendes da Silva involved in the trafficking of cocaine and charged him for importing two shipments of the dangerous substance weighing 74 and 105 kilograms.

He was acquitted of direct involvement in a third case of smuggling over 1300 kilograms of cocaine, but the judge found him guilty of “preparatory criminal acts” and drug trafficking.

According to the English-speaking Dutch newspaper “NL Times,” the court will now attempt to confiscate the money earned by Mendes da Silva (40 years old) from illegal activities.

Earlier, the player’s lawyer admitted that his client “made mistakes and was involved in drug smuggling,” but not to the extent claimed by the prosecution, as reported by the Dutch newspaper.

Who is he?

Mendes da Silva graduated from the Sparta Rotterdam Academy and played over 100 matches in the league with the team before joining Breda in 2004. After two years, he moved to Alkmaar, where he played another 109 matches.

The defensive midfielder then moved to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria in 2010, and later played with the Greek giant Panathinaikos before returning for a second spell with Sparta Rotterdam.

Mendes da Silva won two Dutch league titles and a Dutch Super Cup with Alkmaar, as well as the league and cup in Austria with Salzburg and the Greek Cup with Panathinaikos.

He represented the Netherlands national team 7 times between 2007 and 2009 but did not participate in any major tournaments.