Shamed ex-midfielder Viafara has been handed the sentence by a federal court in Texas after being found guilty last November of helping to import at least five kilograms of the Class A substance into the US, including some missions carried out by speedboats and planes via Mexico.
The haul co-organized by the 42-year-old, who was extradited following the trafficking verdict last year, is said to have been worth around $29 million.
“The defendant in this case had it all – worldwide fame, wealth, and stature,” said Acting US Attorney Nicholas Ganjei, describing disgraced Viafara’s role in the Gulf Cartel.