Drug dealers with ties to Ronaldinho, Anderson arrested in Brazil

According to the public prosecutor Ricardo Herbstrith, the alleged criminal Richard Alex da Silva Martins, known as "Gigi," was arrested Monday at a house belonging to Manchester United midfielder Anderson.

 However, Herbstrith noted that the football player was not suspected of being involved in any way with the drug trade.

 "The investigation has nothing to do with Anderson. He is just friends with the drug traffickers," the public prosecutor was quoted as saying in the Brazilian media.

 Ronaldinho's name in turn came into question following a telephone conversation held by the Milan player with Anderson and with another drug dealer that was arrested Monday, Jorge Andre da Silva Fontoura, known as "Nelly."

   Anderson's agent, Paulo Tonietto, admitted the player's ties to "Gigi" and "Nelly," but stressed that the midfielder committed no crimes.

 "Anderson can be friends with whoever he wants, but he is not involved in crime. He is a serious professional and he will give explanations about what happened at the appropriate time," Tonietto noted.

 The public prosecutor's office insisted that there was no evidence to suggest that either footballer had ties with the drug trade.

DPA