MIAMI — United States authorities arrested former Colombian soccer player Diego Serna at Miami International Airport and charged him with drug trafficking for trying to enter the United States with almost 9,000 hydrocodone pills.
The former player of the Los Angeles Galaxy or New England Revolution, of Major League Soccer (MLS), and of Once Caldas of the Colombian league, among other teams, arrived at the Miami airport last Wednesday with two backpacks containing seven bottles of opiates, according to court documents.
Colombian authorities had notified US police about the material Serna was transporting, who admitted everything upon arrival and offered to collaborate, according to court documents.
The 52-year-old former soccer player summoned a woman to the airport departure area to give her the backpack with the drugs under the supervision of the agents. After the exchange, she was detained by authorities.
According to Serna’s statement, an acquaintance paid his plane ticket in exchange for transporting the shipment. After appearing in federal court, the former forward was released on $100,000 bail.
An arraignment hearing is scheduled for August 20.
