Italian police mistakenly search Milan midfielder Bakayoko for drug smuggling suspect

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) – Italian police have mistakenly stopped and searched AC Milan's French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko on the road for a drug smuggling suspect, but they later apologized to him after realizing he is a football player.

Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Monday that Bakayoko, 27, was stopped by the Milan police on road on July 3 as they mistook him for a drug smuggling suspect.

The police stopped a dark SUV out of suspicion while they were searching for armed Senegalese drug smugglers in Milan.

The police officers pointed their guns at a person driving the car, while another officer was searching the Milan midfielder's body by gripping his neck.

A person, who was in traffic at that time, filmed it and the video went viral on Twitter.

The police apologized to Bakayoko after one of the officers figured out he is a Milan player and not the suspect that they are looking for.

Bakayoko left England's Chelsea in 2021 to join Milan on loan. His deal with the Italian club will expire in 2023 summer.

He helped Monaco win the 2017 French Ligue 1, and Milan lift the Italian Serie A title in 2022.

Bakayoko is a French national and is of Ivorian descent.