Top 10 Celebs Who Got Busted at Airports and Customs

On May 25th 2024, the Dutch national police agency announced on social media that they had arrested an unnamed 41-year-old American woman for allegedly exporting “soft drugs.” It didn’t take long to figure out that said woman was hip-hop superstar Nicki Minaj. Minaj livestreamed the arrest on Instagram, which occurred at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, as she tried to catch a flight to her Manchester, England concert. While the Netherlands is pretty chill about recreational drug use, taking them out of the country is still prohibited. However, according to Minaj, it was all a plot to sabotage her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. After paying a fine, Minaj was released, but she was left with no option but to postpone the Manchester show.

Back in the 1980s, Jerry Hall was one of the most sought-after models in the world, who also dabbled in screen and stage acting. In 1987, Hall, then the longtime partner of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, made headlines when she was arrested at the Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados. The model had reportedly picked up a package at the airport which contained 20 pounds of narcotics, which she insisted didn’t belong to her. Despite her protests, she was placed in handcuffs and only released on a $5,000 bail after spending the night in jail. Following a one-week trial in the parish area of Christ Church, Hall was ultimately acquitted of the drug charges.

To boost her income, Olympic gold medalist and WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner started playing for Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg during her offseasons. But on February 17th 2022, her routine trip to Moscow took a dramatic turn. After landing at the Sheremetyevo International Airport, Griner was detained by customs officers who found less than a gram of an illicit substance in her possession. Although prescribed in the U.S. for her joint pain, this drug was illegal in Russia. Griner spent nearly 10 months in custody, during which she was convicted of drug smuggling charges and sentenced to nine years in prison. Ultimately, the U.S. government managed to secure her release through a prisoner swap, trading her for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

In 2020, legendary guitarist Carlos Santana rolled out his own brand of recreational cannabis. But his history with the green stuff dates back decades, to a time when even a tiny amount of the substance could land you in big trouble. In 1991, while returning to the U.S. from Mexico, Santana was busted at the then Houston Intercontinental Airport with what he describes as a toothpick-sized stash. Despite the small amount, he was placed in handcuffs and transported to the police station. It was just a misdemeanor charge, so after posting a $500 bond, the musician was released and later got off with a fine. Since then, Santana has been a vocal advocate for legalizing the drug nationwide.

In the early 2010s, Canadian pop star Justin Bieber seemed to attract legal trouble like a magnet. He was arrested in Florida for driving under the influence and got into heated altercations with his neighbors that made it into the press. As a result of these issues, Bieber was detained at the Los Angeles International Airport in April 2014 upon returning to the U.S. from a trip to Japan. He was reportedly questioned for nearly four hours before being released. Although speculation quickly arose over the reason for this arrest, it was later clarified that Bieber was just undergoing “routine secondary questioning” due to his status as a non-citizen with ongoing legal cases.

He may be a hip-hop legend, but Snoop Dogg’s airport visits often end in handcuffs. His arrest streak began in April 2006 when he and his crew got into a brawl after being denied entry into a VIP lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport. Then, in September, he clashed with security at John Wayne Airport in California, after a collapsible police baton was found in his luggage. Just a month later, Snoop was back in trouble, this time at the Hollywood Burbank Airport, for alleged drug and weapon possession. And it’s not just a U.S. thing– Snoop was also detained at Italy’s Lamezia Terme International Airport in 2015 for carrying over $400,000 in cash, which was 40 times the legal limit.

Before the tragic September 11th attacks, airport security was pretty lax, allowing travelers to carry items that would be deemed serious threats today. But even then, it was still illegal to bring a gun in your carry-on luggage. In 1994, Hollywood actor Christian Slater learned this the hard way when he was arrested at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York for doing just that. Whether the firearm was in his carry-on bag or on his person remains unclear, but either way, Slater was promptly charged with criminal possession of a weapon. If this happened today, he’d likely face severe consequences, but back then, he got off with just three days of community service.

In February 2003, singer and actress Courtney Love boarded a Virgin Airlines flight from Los Angeles to London for a fundraiser at the Old Vic theater. However, during the flight, Love got into a verbal altercation with the cabin crew and became belligerent, raising her voice and refusing to sit down. As a result, the pilot called the police, who were ready and waiting at the airport. As soon as they landed, Love was arrested by the officers and escorted off the plane into a police van. After being held for nine hours, she was released with just a caution. However, her in-flight antics earned her a ban from Virgin Airlines.

Throughout his life, rapper DMX had numerous run-ins with the law, landing himself in jail over 30 times. One of his wildest escapades occurred in June 2004 when he was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport alongside a man named Jackie Hudgins. According to police reports, DMX posed as an FBI agent and, together with Hudgins, tried to steal a car from another man. He was then arrested by Port Authority police after crashing through the gate of the parking lot. In his car, the officers found a bag containing illicit substances. Altogether, DMX faced a slew of charges including drug possession, criminal impersonation, possession of a weapon, criminal mischief, menacing, driving under the influence and attempted carjacking.

The Beatles might have disbanded in 1970, but even a decade later, Paul McCartney was still one of the most recognizable faces in the world. In January 1980, McCartney jetted off to Japan for a planned tour with his band, Wings. However, those plans hit a sour note when he was busted soon after landing at the Narita International Airport in Tokyo. Customs officials discovered a hefty stash of drugs on him, leading to a smuggling charge that could have seen him serve seven years in prison. Although his celebrity status didn’t prevent him from getting arrested, it certainly influenced the case’s outcome. After just nine days in jail, McCartney was unexpectedly released and deported without charge.

Which of these celebrity airport arrests did you think was unmerited? Let us know in the comments below.