In Spain, police have arrested former footballer Jesús Emilio Díaz de Mier, known by the nickname Txutxi. According to Spanish law enforcement, his arrest took place in the city of El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz province).
The former player of the Athletic Bilbao football club had been evading justice for nine years after being accused of large-scale drug smuggling.
According to the case materials, in 2009, Txutxi and his accomplices smuggled 950 kilograms of cocaine from Argentina into the port of Valencia. The estimated value of the drugs on the black market was over 32 million euros. In 2014, Jesús de Mier was sentenced to nine years in prison, but he went into hiding, avoiding punishment.
The arrest occurred during a routine police check when Txutxi attempted to present fake documents to the officers.
Txutxi’s football career began with Athletic Bilbao, where he made his La Liga debut. He later played in the Segunda División for Lleida and Badajoz, making 304 appearances. Jesús de Mier retired from football in 2005.
