Colombian ex‑soccer star Diego Serna arrested in Miami for opioid trafficking

Former Colombian professional footballer Diego Alonso Serna Lopera was detained at Miami International Airport after a secondary customs inspection uncovered nearly 9,000 hydrocodone‑acetaminophen tablets concealed in two black backpacks. The drugs, identified as the opioid medication Vicodin, were allegedly supplied to Serna in Medellín by a man known only as “Sebastián,” who also paid his airfare. Following the discovery, Serna cooperated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, notifying the alleged supplier via WhatsApp and arranging a hand‑off of the packages to a woman at the airport, who was also arrested. Serna was charged with importation and conspiracy to import controlled substances, released on a $100,000 bond, and placed under travel restrictions in South Florida while the case proceeds.