Ex-footballer Michael Boateng jailed 14 years after £2.36m crystal meth haul in Croydon home.
Judge cites major role in trafficking network, marking one of UK’s biggest meth seizures.
Former Crystal Palace footballer Michael Boateng has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after police discovered £2.36 million worth of crystal meth in his possession, marking one of the largest seizures of the drug in UK history.
The 34-year-old ex-defender, who once played for clubs including Bristol Rovers, Sutton United, and Newport County, was arrested on February 14, 2024, when police raided his Croydon home. Officers found a Slazenger sports bag containing 19.7kg of crystal meth in the hallway, alongside other Class A and B drugs, including cocaine, MDMA, and ketamine.
Boateng, wearing a blue prison “Mental Health Ambassador” t-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, remained expressionless as Croydon Crown Court heard details of his involvement in an organized crime group. Prosecutors said CCTV footage captured him bringing the drugs into the property a week before the raid. The crystal meth alone carried a wholesale value of up to £400,000, but could fetch between £1.18 million and £2.36 million on the streets.
Judge Daniel Flahive said Boateng played a “significant role” in the drug trafficking network, noting his trusted position within the organization. “The amount of drugs we are talking about, just shy of 20kg, has a street value in the millions. Your role was not minimal,” the judge stated. The sentence reflected the scale of the offence and the fact that Boateng committed it while on bail for an earlier case.
Boateng’s legal team argued that he may have been coerced or intimidated into holding the drugs, citing personal struggles, including a police-issued Osman warning in 2022 over threats to his life, and estrangement from his family. Defence counsel Paul Crampin told the court that these pressures led to drug use and later small-scale supply to fund his habit, which escalated into deeper criminal involvement.
His first arrest came in September 2023, when police in Bromley found cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, and cash at his home. He pleaded guilty to intent to supply and possession charges but was granted bail under strict conditions before the February 2024 raid uncovered the methamphetamine haul.
Boateng’s football career ended in disgrace after a 2013 match-fixing investigation led to his dismissal from non-league side Whitehawk, a 16-month jail term in 2014, and a lifetime ban from the sport in 2015.
Judge Flahive ordered that upon release, Boateng will remain on license with conditions.
