On Saturday, Nicki Minaj was arrested in Amsterdam on suspicion of carrying drugs. She was arrested at the airport, as she was trying to fly from Amsterdam to Manchester for a concert. She filmed/live-streamed and live-tweeted the encounters she had with some of the Dutch police and airport security and honestly, from what I saw, they were trying to be nice to her. But yeah, she was clearly carrying. While many drugs are legal in The Netherlands, you can’t carry drugs on international flights.
Nicki Minaj has been released from police custody in the Netherlands, just hours after the rapper recorded herself being arrested by Dutch officers for allegedly “carrying drugs.”
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, May 25, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee confirmed the release of the rapper.
“We have just released a 41-year-old American woman who we arrested this afternoon at Schiphol on suspicion of exporting soft drugs. After consultation with the Public Prosecution Service, the suspect was fined and can continue her journey,” the statement read, translated from Dutch.
In an Instagram Live video that was posted on X by a Minaj fan account, police officers in Amsterdam could be heard telling Minaj that she was “under arrest” for “carrying drugs,” before asking her to get in a van to go to the police station.
After denying the claims and asking for a lawyer multiple times, Minaj (born Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty) then got into a van at what appeared to be an airport.
Minaj was on her way to Manchester, England, for a show part of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour when she filmed the incident.
Minaj was apparently held in jail or whatever for about six hours before they released her with a fine. Which honestly sounds like they might have given her preferential treatment? I’m sure she’s not the first American tourist caught with drugs at the airport, and I’m sure those other tourists have dealt with more than a six-hour jail mess and a fine.
Anyway, Minaj ended up making it to Manchester but she canceled her Manchester show, then she performed last night in Birmingham, England. She also posted a statement to her social media, claiming that her security guard was carrying “pre-rolled joints” and they weren’t hers. She also claimed that her lawyers would take care of everything, and that she would reschedule her Manchester show.
Nicki Minaj was just arrested in Amsterdam while live on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/jms0vDk70q
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) May 25, 2024
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Nicki Minaj attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City,Image: 688278918, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Nicki Minaj, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 09: Nicki Minaj attends the World Premiere of “Barbie” at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 788314768, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Nicki Minaj, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 09: Nicki Minaj attends the World Premiere of “Barbie” at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 788314889, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Nicki Minaj, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, USA – SEPTEMBER 12: Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey, United States.,Image: 805042339, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Nicki Minaj, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, USA – SEPTEMBER 12: Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey, United States.,Image: 805042459, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Nicki Minaj, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
Clearly Nicki’s arrest was a mistake. The drugs were not hers and marijuana is going to be legal soon in many countries of the western world. I am pretty sure her lawyers will make sure her security guard will only suffer minor consequences. There is really nothing to see in this case. By the way Nicki is awesome.
Weren’t they on her luggage? Why would her security’s drugs be on her bags? Her security probably volunteered to be the fall guy.
Exactly!!
Throwing her security guard under the bus is gross, she is disgusting. 🙄
You know what else you can’t carry across international borders? Sex offenders. Which explains her criminal husband’s absence.
Exactly!
Yup! The drugs were hers. The security took the fall. End of. I hope he got paid well to get an international criminal record.
What a fantastic legal argument. It doesn’t matter that it’s illegal now when they committed the offence because maybe some time in the future it might be legal.
She has thrown her support behind 3 rapists and quite possibly is still threatening the life of her husband’s rape victim, she was still doing so only a few years ago. Not to mention her ridiculous threats to other people and artists. She just has access to great lawyers. A judge recently stated her husband can travel with her despite his sex offender status. I wouldn’t be surprised if she thinks she can get away with anything.
It may be legal everywhere soon but it is not, yet. I have my medical card to consume at home but I will never bring anything to Europe while traveling. Too risky.
What’s the MOST awesome part about Nikki Minaj? Is it the fact that she has openly supported her kiddie-rapist brother, writing letters to the court in attempts to get him a lighter sentence???
Or is she awesome for MARRYING a sex offender??
Nikki is just DROWNING in awesomeness!
Calling herself roman zolanski doesn’t help either. She is really leaning in on supporting sex offenders. That woman neeeds all the therapy.
@Pomski, the response was clearly to the part saying she was awesome. Just because you like a problematic person doesn’t make her off-limits.
Lolo86lf, The arrest was NOT a mistake!
Marijuana is not legal, but tolerated. She paid a fine of €350, which means that she had the equivalent of 30-100 grams (meaning about 90-300 normal-sized joints) and in HER own luggage. Drugs are not legal at the airport here, and they definitely aren’t legal to transport into the UK! The Marechaussee are the military: they aren’t allowed t be filmed, and they weren’t going crazy in that video at all. After they found the drugs in Nicki’s luggage, they probably needed to check everybody else, and Nicki denied that the drugs was n her baggage were hers AND she demanded a lawyer. She could have probably gotten out earlier if she had cooperated and paid the €350 figures fine right away. This is normal for a first-time offender. And if she had been caught in the UK, the laws are more stringent.
They are really lucky to be caught by the Dutch and not the British with this stuff (or by almost any other country).
I hope she is not playing victim because a fine is a very lenient response to this.
By the way, Nicki is so not awesome. She’s scum that marries rapist scum and supports other scum like her scum pedo brother. Booooo to Nicki. Boooooo!!!
Nicki is the exact opposite of awesome.
Americans are going to learn one day that the “Oops! I don’t speak your language, I didn’t understand your laws!” doesn’t go over well everywhere. People are tired.
Take note, this type of stuff does not happen on Beyoncé’s tours or Taylor Swift’s tours because the people they surround themselves with value their jobs, and their clients, and respect the rules they set.
Also the “I have a right to an attorney” and other “I have a right” statements don’t apply internationally. Every country doesn’t have the same laws. Americans tend to center ourselves and that can cause trouble.
Don’t know about preferential treatment.
I don’t think Dutch customs see soft drugs as the most shocking thing you can bring, though it is forbidden.
Bit stupid to bring it at all, seeing how easy it is to get it in Amsterdam.
They got the drug in Amsterdam. Nicki and her staff were flying to Manchester England. And you’re right, that country is very progressive when it comes to harmless drugs such as marijuana.
Do not confuse relative ease of access to unlimited legality. You can go to a coffee shop in Amsterdam and smoke but if you are smoking on the street the police are more than capable of punishing you for it.
No country in Europe has legalized it yet recreationally. Many people assume that European attitudes are different towards weed. Maybe they are but the laws are not.
But the folks at the airport are definitely on the lookout for people bringing “souvenirs”. Dumb when a lot of places have relaxed access rules. You can get some more where you’re going, but don’t fly with it.
Can someone explain to me what drugs are legal in the Netherlands, because as a Dutchie: weed isn’t even legal. The recreational use of it is just decriminalized.
And transporting it from one country to another (trafficking) is definitely illegal
I think you can carry 3-5 grams with you without any legal repercussions, that’s what one of the articles I read said.
This whole drugs are legal in the netherlands is a myth. From what I understand a small quantity of certain things are tolerated for residents in special places like coffee shops. You can’t come as a foreigner buying or carrying weed and think it’s ok. I think up until some time ago the dutch police ignored some of the illegal activity but they have had enough of people travelling there as tourists to just do drugs basically.
She’s trash. And of course it was preferred treatment. It’s too bad, she & she rapist husband could have matching jail stories.
I’ve noticed a poster who only trolls, with terrible takes & clearly to rile others up.
I’m not engaging anymore with that poster, as it’s a waste of my time.
Tried to blame it on her security. Dutch police clearly didn’t fall for it. She was only delayed for 6 hours. Instead of almost a year in Russian jail. Or 6 months separated from her children in Turks & Caicos. Come on, my fellow Americans, dump out your luggage and repack before the airport.
You would think people would be getting a clue after tourists being arrested in the Caribbean for bullets and in Russia for drugs. How difficult is it to start with an empty suitcase and only pack non-controversial essentials?
But then how would she get preferential treatment? Her whole video was whining about how they weren’t nice to her (as a suspected criminal with drugs in her luggage).
Honestly the ignorance/self entitlement of these celebrities is tiresome. It is illegal to transport marijuana across international borders, even between countries where it is legal (and it is not in the Netherlands). She was complaining “they took my bags without consent.”- you were at an international airport, they can do what they like with your bags. SHEESH.
IMO the quality of weed is way better in the states, she/her entourage clearly can’t go some days without getting high.
People are so stupid and entitled, it’s exhausting
We aren’t in Kansas anymore Toto! Stupid is as Stupid does!
Drugs aren’t legal in the Netherlands, not even weed. It’s “tolerated” and largely decriminalised though, which is why she had to pay a minimal fine and was released.
And yes insert catchy name is right, American weed is way stronger now and better quality. My mom comes to visit me here and is an old lady and complains at the coffee shops lol
She was flying to the UK where drugs aren’t legal. So her argument is silly.
FYI even though marijuana is legal to use in Canada, you cannot cross the border with it, even to states where it is decriminalized. There are massive signs in airports and border crossings that say this.
She is a dummy and her fame got her a lesser penalty. A trafficking charge could easily have been laid since she was bringing drugs to a country where it isn’t legal or decriminalized.