The Portuguese food safety authority (Asae) has reported that Fabio Coentrao, a former defender for Real Madrid and Portugal, is involved in an investigation into the illicit seafood trade.
In 2021, the 36-year-old gave up playing football professionally and turned to fishing.
Coentrao rented a warehouse seven months ago to begin selling seafood, and the Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias reports that he has three fishing boats.
On Thursday, health authorities announced the suspension of operations at three illegal warehouses in northern Portugal and the seizure of 17 tonnes of foodstuffs.
One of them housed a shellfish farm belonging to Coentrao, an Asae spokesperson told AFP.
According to Jornal de Noticias, on Wednesday inspectors went to the warehouse belonging to the former Madrid player in the northern fishing port of Povoa do Varzim, where there were 12 seawater tanks filled with lobsters and prawns.
In all, more than a tonne of shellfish was seized by the authorities due to a number of irregularities, missing invoices and lack of a trading licence.
Born in the seaside town of Vila do Conde, Coentrao amassed 52 international caps for his country and also won two Champions Leagues during his time at Real Madrid.
