Drug smuggling

Russian curler implicated in cocaine trafficking plot – RT investigation

Russian curler Denis Kilba has been suspected of helping cocaine traffickers to smuggle nearly 400kg of the drug from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Moscow, RT has discovered after inspecting criminal case files.

The investigation files claim that two citizens of Latvia were also mixed up in the alleged smuggling, suggesting the suitcases were heading to Europe through Russia.

Vladimir Kalmykov and Ishtimir Khudzamov, who allegedly supervised the transportation of the drugs, including air freight, had hired Kilba as a driver, as they needed a third car to take all of the suitcases from a Moscow airport.

In December, Kalmykov and Khudzamov, were arrested in Russia when they attempted to retrieve the suitcases. It remains unknown whether the curler knew that cocaine had been stuffed into the suitcases he was ordered to pick up, but – according to the case files – Kilba was questioned as a witness and later released by special services.

Kilba participated in the Russian curling championships before retiring from the sport. Now he organizes various curling tournaments and teaches children how to play the winter sport.