Chelsea icon Frank Lampard found himself in disbelief after being informed that images of his face were unexpectedly discovered in a £38 million methamphetamine bust in Australia.
Also Read: Paul Robinson Urges Ben Chilwell to Seek January Move from Chelsea to West Ham for Career Revival
The former England and Chelsea midfielder, known for his decorated football career, was stunned when he learned that pictures of him in a suit, giving a thumbs-up, had been stamped onto bricks of the illegal drug seized in Sydney.
The bust, executed by the Australian Federal Police, uncovered two large duffel bags filled with meth. Each package bore an image of Lampard taken in 2017 during a Stamford Bridge lap of honour, which appears on his Wikipedia page.
The dramatic seizure happened in the parking lot of Sydney’s Maroubra Surf Club, where authorities arrested suspected drug trafficker Richard Prothero at gunpoint. Prothero, aged 37, faces charges of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of controlled drugs and declined to apply for bail during his court appearance.
The 95-kilogram meth shipment was reportedly tracked from Los Angeles to its destination in east Sydney. Australian detectives suspect that a Chelsea supporter might be involved in the drug operation, which could explain why Lampard’s image was used.
However, Lampard, capped 106 times for England, denied any involvement and was visibly shocked by the news. “What am I gonna say about that? I’m not aware of it,” Lampard told The Sun outside his London home, admitting he was speechless.
Australian Federal Police Detective Chief Superintendent Kristie Cressy commented on the wider impact of methamphetamine, noting the severe mental, financial, and social harm it causes.
With over 10,100 meth-related hospitalizations recorded in 2021-2022, Cressy highlighted the significant strain on Australia’s healthcare system and reiterated law enforcement’s dedication to disrupting organized crime.
This peculiar incident isn’t the first time a footballer’s image has been misappropriated. In 2012, John Terry, Lampard’s Chelsea teammate, faced a similar situation when his face appeared on Indian cigarette packets without permission, leading him to take legal action.
