Some of you may be wondering…what do footballers do with all that money they have made during their time as ballers. Well, surly Jhon Viafara has used his money to invest in the business of drug trafficking it appears. Ex-Southampton midfielder Jhon Viafara has been extradited to the United States of America from his native Colombia to face charges of drug-running. The former footballer spent two years at St Mary’s after a £750,000 move to the south coast in 2006.
Viafara, 41, was arrested back in March 2019 in his native land and has been awaiting trial. He has been in custody for 10 months for allegedly importing two tinned of cociane to the southern part of the US. The two tones of cocaine are valued out £21m. Geez!
Viafara is wanted for drug trafficking between a ten year period that spans from 2008 to 2018 by the state of Texas District court. He was picked up and arrested alongside four other suspects who were all said to be extradited.
Viafara is alleged to have been the kingpin in an operation that used speed boats and small planes to send the drug into America. Local reports state that Viafara sent narcotics to the USA using speed boats and semi-submersibles with the help of the Cal del Golfo, one of the most powerful cartels in Colombia. The packages were transported from the southern Pacific coast of Colombia into Central America and then onto US soil.
US authorities have accused him of being the money man orchestrating payments to a “network of drug traffickers and co-ordinating routes to and from central America”.Viafara was led on to his flight to Texas in handcuffs.
The ex-midfielder, whose alias is “El Futbolista”, told reporters before boarding the plane to the States of his time behind bars.
He said: “I used to share a changing room with Messi, but now I’m having to share a room with somebody who has been at war in our country.”
He played 76 league matches for Southampton and earned 34 international caps for Colombia between 2003 and 2010.
Viafara, who won 34 caps, joined Portsmouth from Colombina side Once Caldas in June 2005.
But after 14 appearances under Alain Perrin, he lost his place when the Frenchman was sacked and replaced by Harry Redknapp.
The midfielder, who won the Copa Libertadores with Once Caldas in 2004, retired from professional football in 2015.
