Dutch soccer player Quincy Promes extradited from Dubai to face prison in cocaine smuggling case

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch soccer player Quincy Promes was being extradited Friday from Dubai to the Netherlands, where he faces a prison sentence for involvement in cocaine smuggling, the prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press.

The Dutch public prosecution service confirmed to the AP that Promes was en route to the Netherlands, in Dutch custody.

Promes, who scored seven goals in 50 international matches for the Netherlands before legal issues derailed his international career, was convicted last year of complicity in cocaine smuggling and sentenced in his absence to six years in prison.

Amsterdam District Court ruled that Promes was involved in the import and export of hundreds of kilograms (pounds) of cocaine in 2020. His lawyers told judges he denied the allegations.

In 2023, Promes was found guilty of stabbing his cousin in the leg and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Both of Promes’ convictions are currently under appeal.

Promes, a 33-year-old former player for Ajax and Sevilla, had been playing for Spartak Moscow and living in Russia from 2021 until last year, when he was reportedly arrested in Dubai around the time that Spartak was there for friendly games. More recently, he had been playing with United FC, a second-tier club in Dubai.

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FILE - Spartak's Quincy Promes during the Europa League Group C soccer match between Leicester City and Spartak Moscow at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, on Nov. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A gas cylinder explosion early Sunday after a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital killed at least eight people, including the bride and groom, police and officials said.

The blast occurred as guests who had gathered to celebrate the couple were sleeping at the house, causing part of the house to collapse, according to the Islamabad police. Seven people were injured.

In a statement, police said the explosion occurred in a residential area in the heart of the city. A government administrator, Sahibzada Yousaf, said authorities were alerted about the blast early Sunday and officers are still investigating. He said some nearby homes were also damaged.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the victims’ families, according to a statement from his office. He directed health authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible treatment and ordered a full investigation.

Many Pakistani households rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders because of low natural gas pressure, and such cylinders have been linked to deadly accidents caused by gas leaks. Police said investigations were ongoing.

Government officials survey the damage of a home caused by a gas cylinder explosion hours after a wedding reception, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)