Former Crystal Palace youth footballer Michael Boateng has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after being found guilty of serious drug offences involving nearly 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.
The 34-year-old English-born Ghanaian was arrested on February 14, 2024, when police raided his Croydon flat—where he lived with his girlfriend and infant son—and discovered 19.7kg of the Class A drug hidden in a sports bag.
Boateng pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court in September to supplying crystal meth, cocaine, and MDMA. Judge Daniel Flahive ruled that the former player had played a “significant role” in an organised crime group.
According to The Sun, the seized drugs carried a wholesale value between £200,000 and £400,000, with a potential street value of up to £2.36 million. CCTV footage showed Boateng collecting the sports bag outside his home a week before the police raid.
“You were playing a significant role in the drug dealing enterprise,” Judge Flahive told him.
“The amount of drugs we are talking about—just shy of 20kg—had a potential value of millions of pounds at street level.”
The court also heard that the offences were committed while Boateng was on bail for earlier drug charges. His girlfriend appeared visibly shocked when the sentence was read out in court.
Defence barrister Paul Crampin said Boateng had received a police Osman Warning in 2022, which led to personal turmoil and drug use. After his football career ended, he had worked as a personal trainer and once counted England international Jadon Sancho among his clients.
