Nicki Minaj has been forced to cancel her concert in Manchester, England, after Dutch police detained her for possession of marijuana, which is considered a “soft drug” in Amsterdam.
The Co-Op Live — the venue where Minaj was scheduled to perform on Saturday (May 25) — took to its Instagram page to announce that the concert would not be held.
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“Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-op Live on Saturday 25th May has been postponed,” the announcement read. “Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance which will be announced ASAP.
“Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every possible avenue to make tonight’s show happen, the events of today have made it impossible. We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience this has caused. More information will be available at your point of purchase.”
When Saturday’s drama began, the New York City native went live on Instagram from an airport in Amsterdam and pointed her smartphone camera at a member of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, who was telling the rapper that she has been arrested for “carrying drugs.”
After multiple demands for legal representation, she proceeded to get inside a police van, per the orders of the many law-enforcement officials surrounding her.
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The incident happened shortly after Minaj shared a video on Instagram in which an airline staff member can be seen informing her that all the belongings and gear she is traveling with with have to undergo a search.
“The police officer told me we have to offload all the luggage and to search everything of your luggage. I am so sorry to [tell] you that,” the man said, to which she responded: “They did just a random quick check, but now they want to open these things.”
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In the caption, Minaj wrote: “They’ve been trying to stop me from coming to every show. They took my bags before I could see them. Put it on the plane. Now saying they’re waiting on customs. This is what it looks like when ppl are paid big money to try to sabotage a tour after all else failed. Everything they’ve done is illegal.”
Subsequently, the Dutch police took to X, formerly Twitter, to announce that they’d released Minaj after issuing her a fine for carrying the pre-rolled marijuana joints.
Zojuist hebben wij een 41-jarige Amerikaanse vrouw in vrijheid gesteld die we vanmiddag op Schiphol hebben aangehouden op verdenking van uitvoer van softdrugs. De verdachte heeft na overleg met het Openbaar Ministerie een geldboete gekregen en kan haar weg vervolgen. pic.twitter.com/FXuTWmtVnt
— Koninklijke Marechaussee (@Marechaussee) May 25, 2024
“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 post reads.
Though Amsterdam has gained a worldwide reputation for being lenient with drug possession, the country’s laws changed in September 2023, when the government made “cannabis tourism” illegal, according to National Geographic.
In addition, the government of the Netherlands makes it clear on its website that it is against the law to possess illegal drugs, including marijuana, though limited use is permitted within the confines of designated coffee shops, and small amounts have been decriminalized for personal use.
“In the Netherlands, it is against the law to possess, sell or produce drugs,” the website reads. “Soft drugs are less damaging to health than hard drugs. Therefore, in the Netherlands, coffee shops are permitted to sell cannabis under certain strict conditions.”
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The notice continues: “A coffee shop is an establishment where cannabis is sold but no alcoholic drinks are sold or consumed. This is part of the Dutch policy of toleration.”
