Former Miami Fusion standout Diego Serna is facing federal charges after authorities say he arrived at Miami International Airport from Medellín carrying 8,975 suspected hydrocodone pills in seven vitamin bottles. The 52-year-old's trip ended with a controlled delivery, a $100,000 bond and a court order limiting where he can travel.
Serna arrived last Wednesday on an American Airlines flight with two black backpacks and no checked luggage, according to a federal complaint detailed by Local 10 News. Colombian authorities had issued a lookout alert before his arrival, prompting U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to refer him for secondary inspection.
The complaint says Serna took responsibility for the bottles, which authorities identified as containing suspected hydrocodone-acetaminophen, a combination formerly sold as Vicodin. The pills reportedly tested positive for opiates, and Serna told federal agents that a friend named Sebastian had delivered them to his apartment in Colombia and paid for his flight as a thank-you for transporting them.
Authorities then directed Serna to contact Sebastian through WhatsApp and complete a handoff at Miami International Airport's Departure Door 10. A woman arrived to collect the backpack, investigators said, and was detained after receiving it while the pills were seized; the complaint does not identify her or say whether she faces charges.
From Miami Fusion Goal Scorer To Federal Defendant
Before the airport case, Serna was best known in South Florida as the Miami Fusion's all-time leading scorer. The former Colombian forward played for the Fusion from 1998 through 2001 and was named to the MLS Best XI in 2001, a season in which MLS coverage credited him with 15 goals and 15 assists.
Serna later played for several clubs, including Miami Dade FC in 2014, which Local 10 reported was his last professional appearance. The Miami Fusion folded in 2002, one year after Serna left the club.
Bond Sets Travel Limits As Case Moves Forward
Serna was arrested on charges of importing hydrocodone and conspiring to import hydrocodone into the United States. He appeared in Miami federal court last Thursday and was released on a $100,000 surety bond, according to Local 10 News.
As a condition of release, Serna was ordered to surrender his passport, remain within the Southern District of Florida and avoid transportation establishments. His federal arraignment hearing is scheduled for Aug. 20, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
