Former Wigan defender Ronnie Stam got seven years in prison for a Dutch drug smuggling plot.
He was convicted of trafficking cocaine and MDMA, plus laundering millions from organized criminal activities.
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 in the Netherlands.
The 41-year-old, who played three seasons with Wigan from 2010 to 2013 and was part of FC Twente’s Eredivisie-winning side under Steve McClaren, was convicted of smuggling 724 kilograms of cocaine, MDMA, and possessing 18 litres of nitrous oxide.
Prosecutors had sought a 13-year sentence, accusing Stam of trying to smuggle £48 million worth of cocaine, a total of 2,217 kilograms, into the Netherlands. However, the court in Breda cleared him of two of the more serious charges, leading to a reduced sentence.
Stam admitted to participating in a plot to move 20 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil to Frankfurt, claiming his payment would have been equivalent to the value of one kilogram. He expressed regret over his involvement with criminal networks, saying it was a mistake that ended his post-football career.
In addition to his prison term, Stam has been ordered to repay £1.7 million in illegally obtained profits. The court also heard that he and his associates attempted to smuggle 20 kilograms of drugs from South America and laundered approximately £2 million.
The former Dutch international retired from professional football in 2016 after a career that saw him make 73 appearances for Wigan and lift the Dutch league title with Twente.
