Turkish police seizes drug trafficker using Maradona portraits to smuggle cocaine

Turkish police on Wednesday seized 2.5 kilograms of cocaine at Istanbul airport nested in portraits of Argentine football legendDiego ArmandoMaradona.

The dubious conduct of a 72-year-old German national of Croatian origin who showed up at the air terminal from Colombia caught the attention of Turkey's Directorate of Customs.

Also see:Diego Maradona, unabashed and outspoken: Most famous quotes by Argentine legend

Add WION as a Preferred Source

As a precaution, the officers ran an X-ray scan of his luggage. A further probe with sniffer dogs raised suspicion of an “unusual density” inside the paintings. When officers removed the backs of the paintings, they found cocaine hidden in tiny plates inside.

He wasarrested at the airport after busting plates of cocaine with a street value of 2 million Turkish liras ($250,000).

Also see:'Ciao Diego': Argentina and Napoli fans mourn Maradona's death

World soccer greatMaradonawas known for his wild lifestyle and struggled with cocaine addiction for years before passing away onNovember 25 due to aheart attack.He is widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time.

One of the most gifted soccer players in history,Maradona's pinnacle of glory came when he captained Argentina to win the World Cup in 1986 before plunging to misery when he was kicked out of the 1994 World Cup for doping.

Years of drug use, overeating, and alcoholism truncated a stellar career and altered his appearance from the lithe athlete who could slalom effortlessly through teams to a bloated addict who nearly died of cocaine-induced heart failure in 2000.