Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Samir Nasri has reportedly been arrested as part of a money laundering probe linked to the drug trafficking kingpin “Wild Boar”.
The ex-France international was caught up in a sprawling police investigation surrounding alleged links to the criminal network of the jailed Marseille trafficker.
Nasri, who now works as a pundit for French TV channel Canal Plus, was grilled for around ten hours on Thursday by cops, Le Parisien reports.
Questioning formed part of a major investigation into suspected drug importation, criminal conspiracy and organised money laundering of drug trafficking proceeds.
The football star, 39, was released Thursday evening without charge, and no legal proceedings have been launched against him.
Investigators are probing alleged links between Nasri and a criminal network surrounding Hakim Berrebouh nicknamed “Wild Boar,” a drug trafficker who has been imprisoned since 2021.
The case also names Olivier Sabbah, known as “Paulo”, who is presented as one of the alleged pillars of a money laundering network connected to Berrebouh’s criminal activities.
Police are reportedly examining Nasri’s alleged involvement in the “organised money laundering” aspect of the case through XS nightclub in Ivry-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne.
Nasri became a shareholder in the venue around 2016 after reportedly investing a few hundred thousand euros while he was earning millions at Manchester City.
He later became co-owner of the nightclub alongside Bilele Z., described as one of his loyal clients, who was also placed in police custody on Thursday.
The shocking investigation has focused on the years between 2021 and 2023, with detectives examining claims that large amounts of cash were taken from the venue.
According to evidence gathered during the preliminary investigation, Berrebouh’s wife allegedly visited the nightclub several times to withdraw large sums of money while her husband was behind bars.
Nasri’s alleged connection to the Berrebouh family stretches back to his childhood in Marseille, where he was reportedly close to Karim’s older brother.
The former France international, who earned 41 caps between 2007 and 2013, is said to have reconnected with Berrebouh in Dubai during the first lockdown in 2020.
Investigators claim Berrebouh later suggested that Nasri take a financial stake in XS, but the agreement allegedly remained verbal and was never formally recorded.
During his police custody, Nasri reportedly maintained that he believed he had sold all his shares in the nightclub to Berrebouh.
The latest police grilling came after Nasri was already questioned in Marseille in late June as part of the same sweeping investigation.
The former Les Bleus star could face further questioning over a potential formal indictment, despite currently facing no charges.