THE HAGUE, March 14. /TASS/. The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service cannot yet say when or if Dutch-born forward Quincy Promes, who plays for Russia's Spartak Moscow Football Club, will be extradited from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the Netherlands, the prosecutors’ office told TASS on Thursday.
According to previous reports, Promes was detained by local law enforcement authorities in Dubai earlier this week by order of the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service.
"It is not clear how long it will take for Promes to be extradited to the Netherlands," the service said in a statement. "It is also unknown if he will actually be extradited."
"The judge in Dubai will decide on the admissibility of the extradition request," the statement added.
Dubai police detained Promes on February 29, while he was clearing border control at the Al Maktoum International Airport to board a flight to Russia, after which he was taken to a police station for questioning. The Dutch prosecutor's office told TASS that Promes was apprehended in the United Arab Emirates on suspicion of violating local laws. The footballer was later released from custody, but was unable to leave for Russia.
On February 14, the Amsterdam District Court found Promes guilty in a drug smuggling case and sentenced him to six years in prison, while prosecutors were pushing for a nine-year prison sentence. The football player was absent during the court hearings and was later put on the international wanted list.
In an unrelated case, on June 19, 2023 an Amsterdam court sentenced Promes in absentia to 18 months behind bars on charges of assaulting his cousin. Last June, the footballer was found guilty of stabbing his cousin during a family get-together in 2020. Promes’ lawyers appealed the verdict, but it was rejected by the court early last month.
Promes, 32, joined Spartak Moscow FC in 2014 and, according to official statistics, the forward has netted 114 goals in his 235 match appearances with the legendary Russian football club. The footballer was the runner-up for best striker in the Russian Premier League 2022/2023 season, having scored 20 goals in 27 matches.
Throughout its 101-year history, Spartak Moscow FC has been a 12-time USSR champion and ten-time champion of Russia. The team is the winner of numerous other awards and trophies.