Rapper Wiz Khalifa Arrested for Illegal Drug Possession in Romania

Wiz Khalifa waves to the crowd before the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 17, 2023. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Rapper Wiz Khalifa, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was arrested for illegal drug possession at a music festival in Romania on July 13, according to authorities.

Mr. Thomaz, 36, was found with more than 18 grams of cannabis during a recital at the urban music festival “Beach, Please!” in Costinești, a resort located on the shore of the Black Sea, the country’s special Directorate for Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) announced in a statement on July 14.

DIICOT, which did not name the rapper, said an American citizen was spotted smoking “an unspecified amount” of marijuana in front of audience members in the shape of a rolled cigarette.

Mr. Thomaz apologized for the move in a post on X the day after his arrest, saying he did not “mean any disrespect” to the country of Romania “by lighting up on stage.”

“They were very respectful and let me go. I'll be back soon. But without a ... joint next time,” the award-winning rapper wrote.

In video footage of the incident shared on X, Mr. Thomaz can subsequently be seen being escorted out of the festival by a group of police officers.

NTD has reached out to representatives of Mr. Thomaz for further comment.

The Pittsburgh-based rapper is being investigated for illegal possession of a “risk drug,” DIICOT said.

Marijuana is an illegal substance in Romania and the natural compound in the drug called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is regarded as a “high-risk drug,” according to the international law firm CMS.

The severity of the punishment varies depending on the quantity and whether it is with intent to distribute or for personal use. Cannabis possession in Romania can result in up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Prior Arrests

It isn’t the first time Mr. Thomaz has been arrested for marijuana possession.

In May 2014, he was stopped at an inspection checkpoint at El Paso International Airport in Texas. A statement from El Paso police said because Mr. Thomaz traveled without identification, a search was ordered and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents found a canister containing marijuana.

The TSA alerted police, who then arrested him. He was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and was released after posting $300 bail.

After his apprehension, Mr. Thomaz posted a photo on X of the inside of what appeared to be a holding cell.

“Jail selfie,” the hip-hop star wrote in the May 25, 2014, social media post.

Mr. Thomaz has become the second American hip-hop superstar who has been arrested this year over cannabis possession while abroad.

In May, Grammy-winning rapper Nicki Minaj had to reschedule her concert in Manchester, England, after she was detained at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport when Dutch police discovered marijuana in her bags as she was preparing to leave the country.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News