American rapper Wiz Khalifa was arrested in Romania for possession and abuse of cannabis during his performance at the Beach Please! Festival in Costinești, Constanța County. The 36-year-old artist, known for his hit “Black and Yellow,” was seen smoking marijuana on stage, leading to his arrest by local authorities on Saturday.
Footage shared on social media captured Khalifa casually smoking on stage and his subsequent arrest. The Romanian anti-organized crime prosecutors, DIICOT, released a press statement confirming the incident. “During a recital held at a music festival in Costinești, Constanța County, [Khalifa] possessed over 18 grams of cannabis (a risk drug) and consumed another amount onstage in the form of a craft cigarette,” the statement read.
The press release emphasized that all individuals involved are entitled to procedural rights and the presumption of innocence throughout the criminal process, as per the Code of Criminal Procedure.
In Romania, the recreational use of marijuana is illegal. A video showing the rapper being escorted out of the venue surfaced online; however, Khalifa was later released from custody.
Following his release, the “See You Again” rapper issued a public apology on the social media platform X. “Last night’s show was amazing. I didn’t 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 big a** joint next time,” Khalifa wrote.
