THREE Lions legend Frank Lampard was left baffled after his photo was used on labels for a £38million stash of deadly “ice meth” seized Down Under.
The image of the former England midfielder, 46, was plastered on bricks of the drug found in a duffel bag at a surf club.
@ Debs Coady/WikimediaFrank Lampard was left baffled after his photo was used on labels for a £38million stash of deadly ‘ice meth’ seized Down Under[/caption]
Australian Federal PoliceThe image of the former England midfielder, 46, was plastered on bricks of the drug found in a duffel bag at a surf club[/caption]
Australian Federal PoliceThe labels showed him in a suit and tie with his hand raised to salute Chelsea fans on his farewell lap of honour at Stamford Bridge in 2017[/caption]
It showed him in a suit and tie with his hand raised to salute Chelsea fans on his farewell lap of honour at Stamford Bridge in 2017.
Bemused dad-of-two Frank laughed yesterday when shown snaps from the police swoop.
Speaking outside the West London home he shares with TV star wife Christine, he told The Sun: “Yeah, you probably know my answer on that one. What am I gonna say about that? I’m not aware of it. I don’t even know what to say to you to be honest. I’ve literally no comment on that.”
There is no suggestion at all that the soccer hero — capped 106 times by the Three Lions and regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation — was involved in the drugs ring.
Instead, investigators believe a drug producer may be a Chelsea fan and added the distinctive label in a tribute to their hero.
Each individual brick was wrapped in plastic and marked with the Lamps stamp, reckoned to be the trademark of the gang supplying the drugs.
Australian Federal Police tracked the 95kg shipment of methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Maroubra, in East Sydney.
They also seized £77,000 in cash during the major bust.
Alleged trafficker Richard Prothero, 37, from South West Sydney’s Liverpool suburb, was arrested at gunpoint in the car park of the club on Tuesday.
Armed officers swooped after watching him collect a key from under a car’s bumper and starting the engine.
Prothero was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs and made no application for bail when he appeared in court.
Lamps began his football career at West Ham before moving to Chelsea in a 2001 deal worth £11million.
He became the club’s all-time leading scorer with 211 goals in his 429 appearances.
Australian Federal PoliceAlleged trafficker Richard Prothero from South West Sydney’s Liverpool suburb, was arrested at gunpoint in the car park of the club on Tuesday[/caption]