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      in Motorsport

      I lived a double life as a rally driver and drug smuggler – I had champagne and coke-fuelled parties before races

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      RANDY LANIER was a motor racing champion who won Rookie of the Year at the 1986 Indy500.But just a year later he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for drug smuggling.
      Randy Lanier lived a double life as a race driver and a drug smugglerCredit: NETFLIX
      He founded Blue Thunder and became IMSA GT champion in 1984Credit: NETFLIX
      Lanier fulfilled his dream of racing the Indy500 in 1986Credit: NETFLIX
      Born in rural Virginia, Lanier dreamed of becoming a race driver from the first time he heard a live broadcast of the Indy500 on the radio.
      The 69-year-old fulfilled his dream in 1986 following a rather unconventional path into the world of motorsport.
      It began when he moved to Florida in the 1960s when his love for cannabis turned into a money-making scheme.
      Lanier and his close associates began to smuggle in the drug from the Bahamas and his operation grew and grew.
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      After overcoming a setback in which Lanier was robbed at gunpoint in his home, the soon-to-be-racer was importing cannabis from South America, and with it he built an impressive fortune.
      Going straight to the suppliers meant Lanier began smuggling hundreds of thousands of pounds of cannabis worth millions of dollars.
      His scheme involved hiding the contraband in hollowed-out ballast tanks of barges, and the more he shipped in, the better his race car became.
      Lanier was already an amateur racer by the time he became a drug kingpin but his career never took off.
      Most read in Motorsport
      He blamed that fact on not owning and running his own team, so once he had the money he set up Blue Thunder and worked his way onto the IMSA racing scene.
      As Lanier put it himself: “To really be an up-front runner in racing, it takes not only a team, but a team with quite a bit of funds.”
      His own wife Pam described him as not the most “elegant” driver with Lanier following the Jeremy Clarkson handbook of power first, ask questions later.
      But it was a recipe for success and Lanier became one of the best young drivers on the circuit, thanks in part to the wisdom he no doubt learned from one-time Le Mans star Bill Whittington, his co-driver.
      Together the pair beat Indy500 legend Bobby Rahal to win the IMSA GT Championship in 1984, and with that brought further racing opportunities.
      Lanier then had the chance to walk away from his drugs empire for good when two representatives from Ford, who he had believed to be FBI agents, visited him at a race to offer him the chance to join their factory team.
      But he turned them down for one simple reason – friendship.
      Lanier stated: “My mind was already made up. I wanted to keep Blue Thunder together. That’s what friends do.”
      Lanier threw champagne and coke-fuelled parties before racesCredit: NETFLIX
      His secret life caught up with him and he was sentenced to life in prison in 1987Credit: NETFLIX
      Naturally, a self-funded racing champion with no discernable income raised eyebrows, but that did not prevent Lanier from expanding his operation – on and off the track.
      He began paying off the mob for access to ports with one job costing him £500,000 alone, and another involving one ship being diverted from landing in Louisiana to San Francisco – some 1,500 nautical miles.
      Lanier ploughed most of his money into his race cars but there was plenty of excess which was spent on speedboats as well as champagne and cocaine-fuelled parties before races.
      He then took things up a notch when he set his sights competing at the Indy500 by racing alongside professional daredevils like Rahal, Mario Andretti and AJ Foyt.
      Lanier fulfilled his childhood dream of racing the Indy500 in 1986 where he placed ninth – the highest ranking rookie in the race.
      But authorities were closing in and when his bookkeeper Charles Podesta was arrested, the game was up.
      Check out what these sport stars drive…
      Podesta confessed to his part in the smuggling racket and gave details on how the operation was ran by Lanier and his associates.
      In 1987 Lanier was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole but he was released after 27 years thanks to a presidential pardon from Barack Obama.
      He turned to yoga and despite claiming the US prison system was set up for recidivism rather than self-reflection, Lanier became a yoga instructor and a suicide watch volunteer – trained to sit and talk with people who tried to take their life – in prison.
      Following his release in 2014 he established Freedom Grow – a charity designed to help those sent to prison for cannabis-related charges regain their freedom.
      He remains passionate about cannabis, which he views as “just a plant”, and wants people to be given their lives back.
      Read more on The Sun
      Lanier said on the subject: “These people should not be currently incarcerated when there are 38 states, and all these corporations, making millions of dollars selling thousands of pounds of cannabis, legally, every week.
      “These people need to come home.” More

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      in Soccer

      England legend ‘very concerned’ by controversial drug sweeping football with stars seeking help for addiction

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      DAVID JAMES is adamant football’s epidemic of Snus — a smokeless tobacco product —  has a “detrimental” effect on players’ performances.The PFA revealed in March a number of stars receive help for addiction to the oral pouches amid increasing use among professional squads.
      David James is worried by how many players he saw using SnusCredit: Getty
      Michail Antonio said stars use it due to ‘pressures of football and life’Credit: Alamy
      Former England and Liverpool keeper James, 53, said: “Snus has been around forever.
      “I was very concerned about its use when I was playing, seeing the amount of players using it.
      “I’m not a scientist but it has a detrimental effect on performance, similar to me smoking when I was actually capable of doing a lot more.”
      West Ham forward Michail Antonio, 33, has tried Snus twice.
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      The former Nottingham Forest ace said: “Players do it because of the pressures of football and life.
      “It really starts to get to people, so they need that stimulus.
      “Clubs want players to be able to deal with things in any way they can.
      “I haven’t seen any club be against it because they see players doing it and it’s not illegal, it’s not a banned substance.”
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      The PFA has said it can “monitor emerging health concerns for our players, including the growing prevalence of Snus use” due to its “close relationship” with clubs’ medical staff.
      The organisation added it gained “insights” into the taking of Snus after players were surveyed at workshops.
      There is a ‘growing prevalence’ of using Snus amongst footballersCredit: Alamy More

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      in Boxing

      Chris Eubank Jr issues chilling warning to Conor Benn as Eddie Hearn set to finalise grudge match ‘this week’

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      CHRIS EUBANK JR has sent a chilling warning Conor Benn’s way as their historic showdown edges closer to being re-booked.The duo were due to throw down in an iconic family grudge match last October before a pair of failed drug tests for Benn scuppered the mouthwatering showdown.
      Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn were set to throw down last OctoberCredit: REUTERS
      A pair of failed drug tests for Ben scuppered the domestic dust-up, which is now set for February 3Credit: Alamy
      Eubank Jr has sent a chilling warning Benn’s way on XCredit: ALAMY
      Negotiations over the Battle of Britain resumed after Benn made a short-notice and successful return to the ring against Rodolfo Orzoco in September.
      SunSport understands talks are close to bearing fruit, with a spring punch-up on the brink of being finalised.
      And after getting wind of some social media trash talk from Benn – the son of British boxing great Nigel Benn – Eubank Jr issued the welterweight contender a blunt warning.
      He wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “DEAD MAN WALKING.”
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      The jibe from Eubank Jr – the son of former WBO super-middleweight champion Chris Eubank Sr – was in response to Benn vowing to become only the second man to stop Next Gen.
      He wrote: “I can’t wait to punch you in the head @ChrisEubankJr.”
      The mouthwatering domestic dust-up between Eubank Jr and Benn fell by the wayside after the latter tested positive for the banned fertility drug clomiphene – which can elevate testosterone levels in men.
      Benn was cleared of intentionally ingesting the prohibited substance by the National Anti-Doping Panel but both UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control appealed the decision.
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      Conor Benn is technically not prohibited from boxing in the UKCredit: Reuters
      The appeal is still ongoing and the date of when the outcome will be revealed is still unknown.
      Benn is, technically, not prohibited from boxing in the UK – despite ripping up his BBBOFC license shortly after the doping saga began.
      That has prompted promoter Eddie Hearn to press on with plans to re-book his clash with Eubank Jr.
      February 3 is the working date for the fight, which The Daily Mail claims will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      And the undefeated Benn appeared to confirm that is indeed the date for the biggest fight of his career in his ongoing social media spat with Eubank Jr.
      In response to Eubank Jr’s “dead man” tweet, The Destroyer wrote: “I’ll remind you of this when you are being scraped up off the f***ing canvas.
      “Feb 3, I’m ending your career.” More

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      in Soccer

      Controversial drug snus could be banned after use by footy stars such as Jamie Vardy and Man Utd ace

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      A “PREVALENCE” of snus in football could lead to a blanket ban in the Premier League after it emerged it was being used by “dozens” of players – with numbers increasing.A PFA investigation will report by the New Year the use of the product – taken by athletes who believe nicotine boosts performance – is at a “tipping point”.
      Footballers who use snus such as Jamie Vardy may no longer be allowed to use it after a PFA investigation is publishedCredit: Getty
      A PFA investigation will either issue a blanket ban or allow it to be openly acceptedCredit: Alamy
      This investigation will see it either become openly accepted or banned by clubs with no compromise.
      Stars including Leicester striker Jamie Vardy and Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles have been linked to the product and nicotine pouches.
      Players put the products under their top lip or between their toes before games.
      An insider at a top-five club said: “It is an open secret that snus and nicotine pouches are being used by players on and off the pitch, on the bench and in training and many do not care about this investigation. 
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      “I know the PFA sees a tipping point here and they are in a difficult spot.
      “Coaches cannot watch the players all of the time and these are incredibly discreet to use.
      “Is the gaffer supposed to check his players’ mouths and toes when they put their socks on? It’s because of this we could see a blanket ban, rather than the effects of snus.”
      Many clubs made players watch presentations and complete questionnaires over the summer on the issue.
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      Gareth Southgate said last week he was aware ‘a lot of footballers’ used snus and added: “I’m not sure how it can be good for you.”
      But campaigners hit back last night, stating the PFA was “ignoring the science” behind nicotine in sport.
      Richard Crosby, founder of campaign group Considerate Pouchers UK, said: “The PFA is potentially causing more harm than good by ignoring the science and while Mr Southgate has a view, it appears not to be an informed one.
      “He and the PFA need to understand why players are using snus and nicotine pouches, which is largely twofold – to improve athletic and cognitive performance, whilst also avoiding cigarettes.
      “It is lazy to associate nicotine with smoking.
      “This is because there is now plenty of evidence to show it can be an effective sporting supplement, so by not informing players of this valid research, they are ignoring the science and withholding all of the facts.”
      As well as Vardy, Manchester United centre-back Victor Lindelof and Newcastle defender Emil Krafth have all been snapped with snus and tobacco-free nicotine pouches, which sit behind the top lip.
      Nicotine use in football has been long-running.
      Legendary players including Gazza, Zinedine Zidane, Wayne Rooney and David Ginola were all spotted puffing cigarettes.
      There is some evidence to suggest nicotine can increase performance.
      Man Utd star Victor Lindelof has previously been seen using snusCredit: Rex
      A 2021 study by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, monitored college archers before and after using nicotine strips.
      It concluded nicotine had a positive effect on attention, “increased skeletal muscle contraction force” and delayed fatigue.
      The archers’ scores also “significantly increased” after taking nicotine, with the report stating the drug “enhances the performance of archery athletes by increasing cognitive function”.
      But the PFA has said it wants to target any addiction in sport after a survey of 1000 professional players revealed many were struggling with the use of prescription drugs.
      Dele Alli has openly spoken about his addiction to sleeping pills while ex-Liverpool keeper Chris Kirkland has spoken of his battle with painkillers.
      The 12-month PFA study on the use of snus – which is being led by Loughborough University – will be used to advise clubs on its prevalence in their teams and give recommendations for support offered to players, including counselling.
      Mr Crosby said: “It is really important the PFA look at this subject with an open mind and make a proper attempt at discussing this with experts in the field.
      “Their own specialists will be aware of the research into nicotine and performance.
      “Let’s also not forget snus and pouches are vastly safer than smoking, which has been another way footballers have used to get nicotine in the past.”
      It is legal to buy snus – which contains tobacco – in the UK but it is illegal to sell it, meaning footballers buy online. 
      Openly available nicotine pouches fall under general consumer product safety regulations.
      This is currently under review by government. More

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      in Soccer

      Tramadol has spread like a disease in football – will moves to ban the highly addictive drug work?

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      BEHIND Tramadol, that comfy sort of drug that eases pain and helps provide a good night’s sleep, lies a nasty little secret.It is addictive and may lead directly to a drastically spoiled life.
      Former Bury star Ryan Cresswell took legal drugs like Tramadol to ease pain and is now urging players facing similar problems to seek helpCredit: PA
      Painkiller Tramadol is a growing issue in football and rugbyCredit: AFP
      It has spread like a pox in football and rugby, sports in which pain is as common as a kick on the shin or an awkward fall.
      Paracetamol is a safer alternative but only dulls pain and is much less effective than Tramadol, which is an opioid and has many after-effects.
      Moves to ban it will be taken in the new year after the World Anti-Doping Agency ruled that from January 1, any sportsman or sportswoman faces a lengthy suspension if caught with the drug in their system.
      This might work but, then, possibly not.
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      It will be important that medical staff at clubs will be alerted to, first, the dangers of the drug and, second, the level of punishment facing takers.
      Difficulties in policing for addiction are clear and the benefits in aiding relaxation and sleep have proved attractive enough to tempt injured footballers beyond the medical profession.
      Immediate effects may include vomiting, vertigo, constipation and drowsiness but it is not passing effects that are the problem, although a sleepy centre-back is the last thing a team needs.
      A friend (not a footballer) who was prescribed Tramadol told me that after one dose he dreamed he was playing alongside Harry Kane and woke up shouting “pass it here, Harry”. Perhaps for a moment he thought he was a South Korean.
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      Another story from a different friend. He had to hand off his wife in bed as she flailed at him, shouting angrily.
      He cowered on the edge of his bed for the rest of the night. But the serious problems arise with addiction.
      Once footballers find it impossible to resist taking the pills, then psychiatric symptoms occur.
      A number of players and retired players are now subject to hallucinations, panic attacks, paranoia and extreme anxiety.
      And acute withdrawal symptoms take up to seven days to disperse.
      Drugs in sport has a long history and the more sophisticated medicine and chemistry becomes, the harder such cheating is to stop, let alone control.
      In outward appearance, football has avoided the worst of the epidemic but Tramadol is a little different in that its use, often combined with paracetamol, to alleviate pain and even aid sleep is beneficial so that the Wada ban may not be wholly welcome.
      If you have developed a reliance or an addiction, stopping is a process where you’ll need help.Ryan Cresswell
      However, a doctor’s prescription will no longer be permissible, which for a lot of players will be bad news indeed.
      Ryan Cresswell, who made 250-plus appearances for clubs including Bury and Northampton, suffered with painkiller addiction throughout his career.
      He had a knee op at 17 but the cartilage went again nine years later and he took legal drugs, including Tramadol, to manage the pain.
      “It’s not normal to be taking eight or nine tablets a day and I realised I needed help,” he said.
      “My advice to players is to speak to someone. If you have developed a reliance or an addiction,  stopping is a process where you’ll need help.”
      The PFA have become involved. Dr Michael Bennett, director of player wellbeing,  urged players to use the PFA’s services if they think they may need support.
      “We know there are players in real difficulty with Tramadol usage,” he said, adding that there have been high-profile cases where addiction has contributed to huge problems in the lives of players. More

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      in Boxing

      I was smoking marijuana aged 13, now I’m two-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist, says Anthony Joshua

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA has revealed that he smoked marijuana until he was 13 years old.The Brit was able to kick the habit and become one of the best boxers in the world.
      Anthony Joshua smoked marijuana until he was 13Credit: BBC Sport
      AJ stopped smoking and went on to become a two-time world championCredit: Getty
      AJ, 34, became the two-time heavyweight world champion as he beat Wladimir Klitschko and Andy Ruiz Jr.
      He also won gold at the London Olympics in 2012 and a year later he turned professional.
      However, his success in the boxing world may never have happened if he had not stopped smoking.
      During an interview with Louis Theroux, he said: “If you can’t get the distractions out of your life, you can’t get your full attention on improving as an athlete.
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      “For me, when I stopped smoking I was able to progress.”
      AJ admitted that he was smoking the class B drug up to six times a day.
      He was kicked off the GB Olympic team in 2011 after police discovered cannabis in his car.
      The boxer was charged with possession with an intent to supply a class B drug.
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      His punishment was a non-custodial sentence of 100 hours of unpaid work as well as a 12-month community order.
      He had previously spoken about how his life has been affected by the incident.
      This is because his record is always brought up when he enters the US, however he is still able to get into the country.
      In the interview, Joshua also admitted that in his youth he once fought six men at once.
      The result of the fight left him with scars on his knuckles.
      He added: “I used to get in fights a lot when I was younger.
      “My skin doesn’t heal too well.
      “This knuckle, I went to get chicken one evening and I ended up fighting six guys on my own.” More

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      in Boxing

      Eddie Hearn CONFIRMS Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn for January with two huge stadiums set to host mega-fight

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      CONOR BENN’s family grudge match with Chris Eubank Jr will take place in January, promoter Eddie Hearn has claimed.The surging welterweight was set to face the former IBO super-middleweight champion last October before a pair of failed pre-fight drug tests scuppered the latest instalment of the family feud.
      Conor Benn was due to face Chris Eubank Jr last Octover before a pair of failed drug testsCredit: Reuters
      Negotiations over the domestic grudge match resumed after Benn’s return to the ring in SeptemberCredit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.
      Promoter Eddie Hearn expects the fight to take place in JanuaryCredit: ALAMY
      Despite returning to the ring in September for a short-notice showdown with Rodolfo Orozco, Benn – the son of British boxing great Nigel – is currently NOT licensed to compete in the UK.
      The British Boxing Board of Control and UKAD both appealed the National Anti-Doping Panel’s ruling that Benn was innocent of intentionally taking the banned fertility drug found in his system.
      But Hearn is confident the BBBofC and UKAD won’t slap his man with a suspension, so much so he’s claimed January joust with Eubank Jr will come to fruition.
      The Matchroom Boxing chief told iFL TV: “In terms of Benn-Eubank, that fight is going to happen in January in the UK.”
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      Hearn, however, admits the fate of the fight is currently in the hands of the BBBofC, saying: “We will make the fight.
      “Conor Benn is not suspended and we will apply to the British Boxing Board of Control for sanctioning.
      “It’s up to them whether they sanction it or not.
      “He’s not suspended, legally, and we don’t see how he can’t be sanctioned to fight.
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      Conor Benn is still not licensed to box in the UKCredit: PA
      “We’ll let them make their decision.”
      Negotiations over the mouthwatering domestic dust-up – which could take place at the Principality Stadium or the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – have reached the business end.
      And Hearn expects an agreement to be reached as early as next week.
      He said: “We’re in final negotiations with both sides to finalise a deal.
      “If we don’t get it done, we’re morons. But sometimes, we’re morons.
      “I expect everybody to be sensible and get that deal over the line as quick[ly] as next week. And we’ve got to get it done.
      “I know people will say, ‘Oh, you’ve been saying this for a while.’
      “Yes, we were waiting for December 23. [But. January, UK, Benn-Eubank, I believe is happening.” More

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      in Soccer

      Ex-porn star and football WAG, 27, jailed after trying to traffic 14lbs of coke into Spain…but shock texts gave her away

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      A FORMER porn star and football WAG has been jailed for almost three years after shocking texts revealed how she trafficked 14lbs of coke into Spain.Mia Etcheverria was one of five seized at Carrasco International Airport, in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo.
      Mia Etcheverria was one of five seized by cops after trafficking 14lbs of cocaine into SpainCredit: instagram
      The former porn star was married to Richard Morales, a Uruguayan football starCredit: instagram
      Morales, right, played for Osasuna and Malaga during his club careerCredit: AP:Associated Press
      The adult actress, and ex-wife of Uruguayan football star Richard ‘Chengue’ Morales, 48, was nabbed by cops on June 24.
      While the gang of five made their way through the airport, police carried out a routine check on one of the men.
      Officers found his two suitcases had hidden compartments containing six slabs of cocaine with a staggering total weight 14lbs 5oz.
      Cops then pulled over the rest of the group, including three women aged 26, 27, and 36, and a 35-year-old man.
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      Etcheverria initially denied having any knowledge of the drug plot but confessed later during a plea-bargaining deal, according to local reports.
      Police then found Telegram messages while investigating the WAG’s mobile phone where she was seen giving other gang members tips on how to avoid being caught.
      She told them: “It is your attitude that will determine your trip, you understand? Travel listening to music.”
      Etcheverria added: “When you get off the plane, take photos (but do not upload anything) until you reach your destination. As touristy as possible, trust me.”
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      Her lawyer, Pablo Casas, claimed at the time of the group’s bust that his client “was unaware of the contents of the suitcases”.
      The ex-porn star – real name Camila Navarro – was one of the main stars on the Uruguayan adult channel Divas TV.
      She shares two daughters with Morales, who made 27 appearances for Uruguay between 2001 and 2005.
      The footie ace played for Osasuna and Malaga during his club career.
      Morales paid all her legal fees during the trial and said in a statement: “Nowadays, more than ever, my only priority is my daughters and their well-being, and I will protect them from any media exposure related to this issue.
      “I understand that we are both public figures in different contexts, but I consider it unnecessary to constantly refer to me and my daughters.”
      She has been jailed for two years and seven months after previously facing 18 years in jail for the offense.
      It comes after a former Leeds Utd player was jailed for shifting cocaine for a major crime gang after cops smashed a secret EncroChat network.
      Paul Shepherd, 45, worked as a “trusted courier” for the four-man drug racket by moving cash and drugs around for them.
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      And Sebastian Guilhaus, a former Married at First Sight star, was charged with drug trafficking after cops said they seized almost £47,000 worth of meth during a raid.
      He was arrested in June by the Serious and Organised Crime Branch detectives at his Adelaide home.
      Morales paid all of Etcheverria’s legal fees during the trialCredit: instagram
      The 27-year-old has been arrested for two years and seven monthsCredit: instagram
      Etcheverria was one of the main stars on the Uruguayan adult channel Divas TVCredit: instagram More