The marijuana laws have loosened (if not completely disappeared) in so many states in the US, we barely hear about celebrities getting arrested on drug charges. I figure pretty much everyone in half of the country (if not more) has easy access to pot, whether it’s through medical dispensaries or simple open-to-anyone sales. Young people don’t know what it was like in the 1980s and 1990s, when marijuana was considered a “gateway drug,” and being arrested for possession could mean some really terrible sh-t for your future. All of which to say, Gigi Hadid was arrested for possession in the Cayman Islands. She was carrying marijuana in her bag at the airport! Good lord.
Gigi Hadid had a bumpy start to her summer vacation. The supermodel was embarking on a girls’ trip to the Cayman Islands on July 10 when she was arrested at Owen Roberts International Airport, E! News has learned.
According to local outlet Cayman Marl Road, shortly after Hadid and her pal arrived via a private plane, custom officials allegedly found “ganja and utensils used for the consumption of ganja” in their luggage.
Hadid and her friend were then arrested on “suspicion Importation of Ganja and Importation of Utensils used for the consumption of ganja,” the outlet reports, adding that they were then taken to the Prisoner Detention Center, where they were released on bail.
Two days later, on July 12, Hadid and her pal were formally charged during a court appearance, where they pleaded guilty and were both fined $1,000, according to Cayman Marl Road. They are not facing any charges.
“Gigi was traveling with marijuana purchased legally in NYC with a medical license,” her rep tells E! News. “It has also been legal for medical use in Grand Cayman since 2017. Her record remains clear and she enjoyed the rest of her time on the island.”
E! News has reached out to authorities has not heard back.
I mean… I would never carry on any flight, especially an international flight, regardless of medical license and regardless of the medical-use laws. That’s another thing ‘90s kids will tell you: you never carry drugs on commercial flights! Don’t assume you know all of the drug laws of other countries! There are too many horror stories. That being said, my feeling is that Gigi got off lightly, probably because of her celebrity. I hope this will be a lesson learned – don’t carry drugs internationally. Especially when you’re rich and famous, you’ll be able to find a dealer wherever you go.
Her vacation was barely interrupted – the Cayman Islands probably got thousands of dollars in free tourism advertising from this incident. Gigi posted photos and videos from her vacation too, nary a mention of her arrest.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instagram.
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- Gigi Hadid attends the “Firebrand (Le Jeu De La Reine)” red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 21, 2023 in Cannes, France.,Image: 778025791, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel / Avalon
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- New York, NY – Blonde supermodel Gigi Hadid leaves her apartment ahead of her appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon wearing oversized blue jeans and a white top paired with white heels. Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 27 FEBRUARY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Supermodel Gigi Hadid takes over Bond street as she walks to Zero Bond for a private party in a show-stopping white dress. Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 27 FEBRUARY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Ulices Ramales / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Gigi Hadid seen in New York City while promoting the new season of Next in Fashion. Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 28 FEBRUARY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Supermodel Gigi Hadid is bright and colorful in a rainbow-colored off-duty dress as she returns this afternoon to her NoHo home. Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 28 FEBRUARY 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
And absolutely nothing will come of it. Very expensive lawyers and crisis consultants will make this ‘go away’….
It’s just weed who cares.
Just weed on the wrong island…if her people did their jobs she’d have known that haha
My thoughts exactly—it’s only weed. I get that it’s another country and she should have probably avoided bringing it, but yeesh. It’s not the 60s anymore; weed isn’t some radical drug. Who cares if she smokes? Most adults I know do—people with homes, good jobs, etc. So glad I live in a state where it’s fully legal.
Something did already come of it- $1000 dollar fine and a slap on the wrist. Which of course may as well be nothing. Yes celebrities should get exact same treatment as a non famous person would, but agree with poster above that truly it is weed who cares!
Don’t think she needs crisis PR, not many people are outraged by weed smoking
God, I hope her PR doesn’t make her go on some apology tour for smoking weed. It’s not a real scandal, most people under 40 don’t care if Gigi (or anyone else) smokes, it’s really not that big of a deal. The only reason it’s making news is she’s famous and it was in another country, otherwise, pfft.
Gigi’s side is saying the authorities in the Cayman Islands tried to ask for a bribe. If this is true, it’s so shady. They go after private jets because they know the person is rich. She supposedly said no to the bribe so they arrested her for possession. If this is true, good for her for not giving in. Also, pay attention to the laws of the country you’re traveling to !
Its not shady its how their economy works. there is a reason why so many companies are based there for tax reasons no questions asked . Pay up and folks will look the other way
It was weed not murder. She paid a fine and everyone will go on with their lives.
This ^^^^
Most people don’t realize even if flying domestic, from one weed legal state to another, it’s illegal. Airspace is federal, and until weed is federally legal, it’s a crime. Run into it everyday at the airport I work at.
@kdids THIS!!! It boggles my mind how willfully ignorant people are.
I can’t believe how stupid people are. Have people learned nothing about what happened to Brittany.
This. Going through Denver airport where weed has been legal in Colorado for a while, I’ve seen young adults practically stripped searched. It is infuriating and a bit shocking. Drug sniffing dogs everywhere. Don’t ever try to fly with weed. It is very, very risky.
Within Canada you can pack your weed anywhere you want, airports included!
@nono you still can’t cross the border with weed – either way. Every time I cross the border I’m told I can’t enter Canada with cannabis products.
Thanks for posting this! I was just going to ask about it. I flew internationally from Kentucky to Italy (round trip) in 2020 (juuuuuust before the COVID shut-down). My friend had gummies she had bought legally from a previous trip out west. I don’t know how she managed to fly to Italy and back with those. Marijuana is not legal, medically or otherwise (YET) in Kentucky. Anyway, my question was going to be can you fly from, say, a legal US state to a non-legal US state. The answer is clearly no. Shew!
As kdids points out, not even from a legal state to a legal state, as airspace is federal (TSA agents are federal employees) & pot is still illegal per federal laws.
Fellow Kentuckian here! Beshear signed the legislation making medical marijuana legal on March 30th of this year. Just FYI.
But, it’s still not federally legal. I have to get drug tested for a prescription medication I take, gabapentin, and I had used a Delta 8 vape pen (it’s not my thing at all but was curious if it would help my neuropathy because I read that it might and I was hoping to get off of the gabapentin) and I told the doctor that and she told me it was one or the other.
Sorry wrong place.
Lmaoooo people travel with weed All. The. Time. just like people drive drunk all the time. Most don’t get caught. And for the most part the TSA isn’t trying to bag people for a tiny amount of weed. They’re looking for the mules and shit.
What??? I don’t know a single pot-smoker who doesn’t know that it’s illegal to bring weed on a flight. Maybe people in Massachusetts are just smarter?
Anyway, this is why weed should be legal everywhere.
I was once stopped at security at the airport because they had to check my hair bun to make sure I didn’t have a weapon on me. It was pretty crazy.
Same. I also got the hair bun check once.
Y’all, I have super short & super thin hair–my scalp is actually visible–yet the stupid X-ray machine lit up at the back of my head & I had to have my head patted around. It was so ridiculous I had to laugh (and no, I do not have a metal plate in my head).
I’m guessing it’s matter of forgetting she had it in her bag. Gigi isn’t dumb and a seasoned traveler but I bet she’ll be taking careful inventory on future trips abroad.
I’ve arrived abroad before and got my tent out and found a bag of weed inside. Obviously I was thrilled but mortified at what could’ve been…
I dont know if she got off lightly because shes famous, to be honest. In college, we were on spring break in the Bahamas and a friend of mine got caught with a joint in his pocket at the airport flying home (I mean, he was an idiot, lol). Bail was 1000 to get him out, he flew home the next day, and he just pled guilty via paperwork and I think paid another 1000 in fines. Like he never had to go back for a court appearance or anything.
Oh that was an interesting experience.
I could never carry on a plane.
Last year, my friends and I were going to Mexico from California and one of them wanted to bring weed on the plane. I’m like hell no.
It’s actually not that hard to carry on a plane for domestic flights—I’ve done it a few times over the last year. If you vape, you can pack the battery and keep the cart separate (and like, in your carry-on). A lot of TSA don’t care because it looks similar to an e-cigarette. That’s been my experience anyway.
Same, Scorpiomoon.
I visited the caymans for a wedding in 2003ish- it was in the on flight magazine- a big pot leaf and a statement that while other Caribbean countries look the other way regarding pot- they do not. Apparently a lot of mormons and other conservative ‘christian” white people run the island.
I asked a bartender about it, he was like, yeah, we have x number of Jamaicans here, and half are in jail for pot. Side note: he still knew where to score if you wanted to.
It is a pretty place.
Grew up in the 80s and 90s, all the “just say no” ads etc. Today I would never EVER travel with any substance and sometimes even check if herbs and so on in natural medicines are subject to penalties. I flew through Hong Kong this year and because it’s now China, there were BIG warnings on my bookings about CBD oil things. I use a pain relief body cream which has CBD in it and I was paranoid just thinking I might have accidentally packed it.
And HK authorities were no joke.
Never travel with anything even once considered illegal!
Also, always respect the laws of a country you are travelling to- especially as a woman.
Always a good idea to check that country’s laws about prescription meds, as well. Sometimes they want you to have the written prescription with you. And definitely best to carry them in the pharmacy marked bottle, not just in a pretty pill bottle (or ziplock baggy!).
This was a dumb thing to do but it’s weed. She plead guilty, paid the fine and the world keeps spinning. But also- I wish folks would pay attention to the fact that weed is still illegal on the federal level and it’s still illegal in a lot of countries. Just buy your weed when you get there.
I’ve seen Brokedown Palace. I will never ever travel into a different country with drugs no matter where they may be legal.
Brokedown Palace really did a number on my brain. To this day, I don’t even let people make eye contact with my carry-on bags, let alone touch them!
Oh, it was Midnight Express for me. A time or two I’ve traveled for work with bags full of equipment packed by someone else. I get so nervous when asked, ‘did you pack this bag yourself’? What happens if I tell the truth & say no? How much longer will that take? Will I be able to get on the plane?
I don’t understand why anyone would ever fly with recreational drugs. Especially to foreign countries!
I have friends who have taken weed/mushrooms on planes just flying in the US and some even to Mexico! Such an unnecessary risk. Whether it’s legal or not it’s just not a smart idea.
Did people not watch the show “locked up abroad”!?
I mean, yeah I get this and you’re not wrong. But have you ever tripped or gotten stoned on vacation, on the beach with the sand between your feet, just watching the waves hit the shore? It can make an already cool experience even better, man. That’s why people travel with drugs when they’re going on vacation. Plus, it’s safer to bring from your own stash than to trust a local connect (although finding a local for a hook up is a rite of passage for many of us—and a way to make new friends on vacay).
ILY, Scorpiomoon. ❤️