The owner of Nottingham Forrest, Evangelos Marinaksis, was charged with illegal drug trafficking and heroin smuggling.

On Friday, Greek prosecutor Eirini Tsiva called the charges against Marinaksis very serious: in particular, the episode was taken with a tanker intercepted in the port of Piraeus, which carries 2.1 tons of heroin in 2014.

The 50-year-old Marinakis was also accused of financing an illegal operation. Three of his close associates were identified as accomplices in the crime.

The judicial investigation recorded bank transfers that aroused suspicion. Several of them are associated with a confiscated ship and, probably, were used to finance it, reports The Guardian..

The businessman told the Greek press that he was innocent and was the victim of a conspiracy.

Marinaksis became the majority shareholder of Nottingham in May 2017.

He also owns the Greek club Olympiakos and was the president of the Greek Super League.