Radja Nainggolan (foto: Instagram)
Radja Nainggolan has been released on conditional freedom after his arrest in an anti-drug operation in Belgium. The former Roma and Inter star denies involvement and calls for privacy.
Radja Nainggolan has been released on conditional freedom following his detention in connection with an anti-drug trafficking operation in Belgium. The 36-year-old midfielder, who now plays for KSC Lokeren-Temse, took to Instagram to express his desire for privacy and focus on football.
"Now that I am back home, I want to fully concentrate on football and regain my peace of mind. I ask for respect for my private life and time to recover," Nainggolan wrote.
According to his lawyers, the former Roma and Inter Milan player was not questioned about drug trafficking. Belgian authorities had seized 2.7 kg of cocaine, firearms, luxury watches, jewelry, gold, and €370,000 in cash during the operation, but Nainggolan was reportedly only asked about financial transactions he had made to certain individuals.
The midfielder, known as Belgium’s "enfant terrible", was one of 18 people arrested in the probe into a South America-to-Antwerp cocaine smuggling network. Throughout his career, Nainggolan has been recognized for his flamboyant mohawk, extensive tattoos, and rebellious attitude, including his open habit of smoking despite being a professional athlete.
Having just signed for Lokeren, he remains a controversial figure in Belgian football, where he earned 30 caps before being left out of the national team squad in 2018.