Former Spanish forward Sergio Contreras has been sentenced to six years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking network. Better known as ‘Koke’, Contreras had a 13-year career in football across nine different countries ranging from Azerbaijan to Bolivia.
Koke came through at Malaga and moved to Marseille as a youngster, enjoying spells at Rayo Vallecano and Sporting CP too. He eventually retired in 2016 at Greek side Aris Thessaloniki.
He had previously spent one year and eight months in prison before posting his €15k bail, as per EFE via Diario AS, when he was one of 17 arrests made after the discovery of a tonne of marijuana and several weapons.
In an interview with El Desmarque while out on bail, Contreras seemed to show little regret.
“I would like to convey to society that we are normal people, that the presumption of innocence has to exist, that people cannot be excluded by going to jail, everyone deserves a chance. In my case I consider myself a good person and here I am even better. Going through jail is not the worst thing in the world, yes, it is hard. Being here makes you experience unthinkable things and think like a prisoner.”
Contreras is convicted of playing a leading role in the organisation that bought, transported and sold the drugs. The organisation put together routes into Europe from other continents, but Contreras has now been sentenced to six years, far less than 16 originally requested by the public prosecutor.
