Wiz Khalifa was arrested following his set at the Beach Please! Festival in Costinesti, Romania on July 13. The rapper was charged with illegal drug possession before being released from custody the same day. In a statement translated by The Hollywood Reporter, the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) stated that Khalifa was in possession of 18 grams of cannabis, a “risk drug.” DIICOT also accused him of smoking a "handmade cigarette" on stage.
Cannabis is illegal for recreational use in Romania, and though it is permitted for medical reasons, the government has not made it fully legal. Possession of the drug is punishable by up to ten years in prison, or a fine of up to 20,000 RON (about 4,400 USD). Following his arrest, Khalifa took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue an apology to the country of Romania and Romanian authorities.
Wiz Khalifa Reacts To Romania Arrest
Wiz Khalifa often refers to cannabis usage in his lyrics, and it has been a defining characteristic of his music. Despite the arrest, Khalifa has had a great year otherwise. Last month, he used Father's Day to reveal that he and girlfriend Aimee Aguilar were expecting their first child together. In April, he performed his hit single "See You Again" at Drai's Beachclub, paying tribute to recently deceased rappers. Some names included Takeoff, XXXTentacion, and DMX, flashing their images on screen.
Wiz Khalifa has other overseas concerts he will perform at this year, including taking a trip to Thailand for Rolling Loud in November. A$AP Rocky, Tyla, Ski Mask The Slump God, and many more are set to perform as well. The incident is the latest example of a rapper being arrested for drug-related reasons in a European country. Just two months ago, police arrested Nicki Minaj in Amsterdam on suspicion of cannabis possession. She denied the drugs belonged to her, instead claiming that they belonged to her security. Minaj, like Khalifa, was charged and quickly released. Hopefully, these issues have a quick resolution and this won't affect any future opportunities that may arise for Khalifa.
