Former Champions League star Radja Nainggolan arrested in investigation into cocaine smuggling as police raid 30 houses

RADJA NAINGGOLAN has been arrested as part of an investigation into smuggling cocaine, according to reports.

The 30-cap Belgian midfielder, 36, joined second-tier Lokeren-Temse in his homeland last Tuesday.

Radja Nainggolan was arrested on suspicion of smuggling cocaine days after his Lokeren-Temse debutCredit: Rex

The footballer had been open about struggles with drink and smokingCredit: instagram @sena_asbhoelNainggolan marked his debut on Friday by scoring an Olympic goal directly from a corner to rescue a 1-1 draw.

However, reports in Belgium on Monday morning revealed the former Roma and Inter Milan star was detained by police as part of an investigation into smuggling drugs from South America via the port of Antwerp.

Approximately 30 houses were raided in the areas of Antwerp and Brussels as part of the sting.

The Brussels public prosecutor’s office said: “The federal judicial police of Brussels carried out thirty house searches on Monday morning in the context of a file from the Organized Crime department of the Brussels public prosecutor’s office.

“The house searches mainly took place in the province of Antwerp and in Brussels.

“The investigation concerns suspected facts of importing cocaine from South America to Europe, via the port of Antwerp, and its redistribution in Belgium.

“We can confirm that the footballer RN (Radja Nainggolan) was deprived of his liberty in the context of that case.

“Given that the interrogations are currently underway, and in compliance with the principle of presumption of innocence, no further comment will be made at this stage.”

GVA in Belgium added that Nainggolan’s lawyer Omar Souidi is on his way to support his client.

The report also states that the footballer had his Smart Brabus car towed away amid the house search in Antwerp on Monday.

His new club confirmed their star signing missed training and will miss Tuesday’s match – but was ineligible anyway because it was a rearranged match from earlier in the season.

Lokeren-Temse said: “Since the investigation is still ongoing, the police services do not want to and cannot make any further comment.

“They respect the principle of presumption of innocence.

“As a club, we agree with this. We can only confirm that the player was absent from training this morning.”

Nainggolan, who scored at Euro 2016, has had a chequered career with various controversial moments and has openly admitted his struggles with alcohol and smoking.

In 2017, he had his driving license withdrawn after driving at four times the legal alcohol limit.

The four-time Serie A team of the year star then made headlines when he went live on Instagram on New Year’s Eve the same year drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and swearing.

The next day he apologised for his behaviour and admitted he “overdid it a bit” and “did not intend to set a negative example”.

In 2018, Nainggolan reportedly lost hundreds of thousands of euros at a Monte Carlo casino and then was mugged by thieves who stole passbooks and cheques for €150,000 (£126,000).

The midfielder was banned indefinitely by Antwerp in 2022 for vaping on the bench with an e-cigarette – a week after another arrest for driving offences.

‘NOT ASHAMED’Nainggolan had a brief stint at SPAL in 2023 – where he declared he could take to the field after 20 shots the night before.

Sporting director Walter Sabatini claimed the midfielder could play after eight shots.

But the footballer said: “Sabatini? I called him and told him that eight shots weren’t enough… I can also drink 20 and then I go out on the pitch anyway.

“He loves me, he’s always advised me to have a quieter life. He thinks I would have a better career. But I don’t agree, on the pitch I gave it my all.

“As a boy I suffered, my family was poor, I made great sacrifices to become a footballer. And now, I don’t give up living, also because nature has given me a body that isn’t affected by the shenanigans I’ve done.

“Everywhere I did shenanigans. At Roma I arrived late, there were videos in which I was not very lucid in the evening and then that famous New Year’s Eve at my house…. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.

“Maybe that was the craziest night. Well, my videos drunk, smoking and saying words out of place went around the world. I was attacked by everyone, Roma went on a rampage. And they were right.”

On his smoking habits, Nainggolan added during his Roma spell: “I’m not ashamed because I smoke and I’ve never hidden this habit of mine.

“I know I should set a good example, I have kids… But I’m just a footballer, I do my job. Everyone knows that I smoke and I can’t hide it, but I’m not ashamed.”

Ironically, between his time at SPAL and joining Lokeren-Temse this month, Nainggolan played ten league games for Bhayangkara – a team based in South Jakarta run by the Indonesian police.

Nainggolan has two daughters, Aysha and Mailey, with wife Claudia Lai, who overcame a cancer diagnosis in 2019.

Nainggolan won Serie A with Inter Milan in 2020-21Credit: Getty

He starred for Belgium at Euro 2016Credit: Reuters