International supermodel Gigi Hadid was arrested and fined in the Cayman Islands after border security agents discovered a small amount of marijuana in her luggage.
Hadid, who has since been released, was arrested shortly after she arrived in the tropical British territory via private plane on July 10.
Rolling Stone verified news of the model’s arrest and reported that Hadid, 28, was fined US$1,000 (nearly C$1,300).
Customs and Border Control agents allegedly discovered “ganja and utensils used for the consumption of ganja” in Hadid’s luggage, according to the local news outlet Cayman Marl Road.
Authorities said the amount of marijuana seized was “relatively small” and likely to be used for personal consumption.
Hadid and her friend Leah Nicole McCarthy, who also had a small amount of marijuana and gear in her bag, were both arrested on suspicion of “Importation of Ganja and Importation of Utensils used for the consumption of ganja.”
The two women were transported to the Prisoner Detention Center but were shortly after released on bail.
Hadid and McCarthy appeared in court on July 12 to pay the $1,000 fine. TMZ reported there will be no conviction on Hadid’s record.
A representative for Hadid told Rolling Stone the model purchased the marijuana legally in New York using a medical licence.
“(Marijuana) 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,” Hadid’s rep said in a statement.
In the Cayman Islands, medical marijuana has been prescribed as a drug to treat pain, nausea from chemotherapy and a number of other conditions since it was made legal in 2017. Recreational cannabis use is illegal.
Even still, Hadid appeared unconcerned on social media. On Tuesday, as news of her arrest was breaking, Hadid uploaded several photos and videos from her trip to Instagram with the caption, “All’s well that ends well.”
It seems Hadid, McCarthy and their friends made the most of the tropical vacation, despite their brief arrest.
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