Former Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has been arrested and charged for his alleged role in a commercial-scale cocaine deal, Chatswood (Australia) police said on Friday. (More Cricket News)
The retired Test cricketer had come to the attention of detectives in April 2021, when he was allegedly kidnapped by a group of armed men outside his apartment in in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne.
MacGill was allegedly driven to a remote site on the city's outskirts, where he said he was assaulted and threatened at gunpoint, before being driven to a third location and released.
He had sustained minor injuries in the alleged incident but did not require medical care.
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Narrating the incident, the 52-year-old restaurateur had said last year that the men “stripped me naked, beat me up, threatened me and then just dumped me”.
In an interview in the wake of the alleged abduction, MacGill had said "I've done nothing wrong" and police at the time had said he was "purely" a victim.
But following a long-drawn investigation into the incident, police have now alleged that MacGill’s abduction was linked to his part in a drug deal.
Police on Friday said MacGill faced one count of “knowingly” taking part in the supply of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.
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Six people have been charged over the incident, one of whom is the brother of MacGill’s then partner.
Local media outlets have reported that the alleged deal involved more than $300,000 of cocaine.
The ex-Australia bowler has been released on bail and will return to court on 26 October.
MacGill has been widely recognized as a talented bowler and played 44 Tests for Australia, but was unlucky that his career coincided with that of Shane Warne, the spin wizard who has been ranked by many as the best tweaker of all time.
(With agency inputs)
