A former Premier League footballer has been given seven years in prison for his role in a multi-million-pound drug smuggling ring.
Ronnie Stam, 41, who played for Wigan for three years from 2010, was described by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service as a big hitter in the criminal underworld.
Stam was charged with trying to smuggle £48m-worth of cocaine (2,217 kilos) into the Netherlands.
The prosecution asked for the judge to give Stam a 13-year sentence but he was found not guilty of two of the more serious charges.
The former Dutch title-winner was instead convicted of smuggling 724kg of cocaine into the Netherlands in addition to MDMA and possession of laughing gas (nitrous oxide).
At the courthouse in Breda, it was also alleged that Stam and his accomplices were in possession of 18 litres of nitrous oxide and tried to smuggle 20kg of drugs from South America – saying he laundered £2m.
Ronnie Stam (right), pictured playing for Wigan in 2010, has been convicted of drug smuggling
Stam (right), pictured here with Eden Hazard (left), said he regretted his involvement
Stam admitted to being involved in a plot to smuggle 20kg of cocaine to Frankfurt from Brazil.
He revealed that his payment would have been the value of one kilo.
Stam insisted that was the extent of his involvement in the plot and confessed to regretting becoming involved with criminals.
The former footballer retired from playing back in 2016 before turning to crime.
He will have to repay £1.7m in illegally gained profits as part of his punishment in addition to the seven year prison sentence.
Stam enjoyed a successful playing career, featuring for Wigan 73 times and winning the Dutch Eredivisie with FC Twente under Steve McLaren before that.
After his time in the north of England, he moved to Belgian side Standard Liege before re-joining boyhood club NAC Breda for one season before hanging up his boots.