PRIDE, Cage Rage veteran Edson Draggo arrested with 22 pounds of cocaine

Longtime MMA veteran Edson Draggo was arrested by the Brazilian Federal Highway Police in Santiago, Brazil, with 22 pounds of cocaine and crack, MMA Fighting has confirmed following a report by local network SBT.

Draggo was arrested on Monday afternoon with drugs hidden underneath the rear bumper and inside the dashboard of a white Fiat Siena. The 43-year-old attempted to escape but was caught by the police. According to the police, the drugs are worth around $380,000.

The Brazilian fighter has been arrested several times before, accused of robbery, embezzlement, kidnapping and illegal possession of a weapon.

Draggo fought twice under the PRIDE and Cage Rage banners more than a decade ago, losing to Paweł Nastula and Yoshihiro Nakao in Japan and going 1-1 in Europe. Draggo, who lost five in a row after leaving PRIDE in 2007, fought twice this year in Parana, Brazil, to boost his MMA record to 13-7 with a pair of first-round stoppages.