Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne has spoken out about the moment he was stopped by police in the US when he was returning home from rehab in 2013 and they were looking for drugs
Gazza, who exclusively confessed to the Mirror that he can’t quit drinking, was halted by American police in 2013 on his way back from rehab due to his fondness for Beef Jerky.
The football legend had purchased 20 packets of the dried meat snack to bring back to the UK when he was accosted by law enforcement at an Arizona airport. He reminisced: “There was a funny end to the rehab. I love beef jerky so I bought 20 packets to take home.
“But when I got the airport I was stopped by the police and they ordered me to get down. They had sniffer dogs and I was like ‘whoa, whoa, what are you doing? But they thought that I had drugs. The dogs were sniffing around my bags for beef jerky.”
Gazza shared how his father John was waiting for him at Heathrow Airport, but Gazza, who suffers from aviophobia, had taken too many pills given to him to manage his fear, reports the Mirror.
He ended up in Mexico with another addict he had met during rehab.
“I had to call my dad to explain,” he said. “But I wasn’t sure where I was or how I had ended up there.”
Recently, Gazza suffered a broken left kneecap and has a six-inch scar just above his belly button following emergency surgery when he collapsed due to stomach ulcers caused by a bout of drinking neat gin.
He has tattoos dedicated to Regan, and stepchildren Bianca, 38, and Mason, 36, both reality TV stars.
His live appearances for fans have replaced the ‘buzz of playing. He shares tales from his England career, spanning from 1988 to 1998 when he was dropped by then-manager Glenn Hoddle, and his glory days.
Following Italia 90, his fame skyrocketed. He rubbed shoulders with the likes of Pope John Paul II, Princess Diana, Elton John, George Clooney, and Dustin Hoffman.
Paul Gascoigne Eight (published by Reach Sport) will be available from October 23. You can preorder it on Amazon now.
For online orders, visit – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Gascoigne-Eight-Gazza-Revealed/dp/1916811434.
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