US rapper Snoop Dogg had his second run-in with European authorities in a week when he was stopped by police at an Italian airport with $422,000 (£270,000) in cash.
The 43-year-old was stopped at the Lamezia Terme International Airport in Calabria, after he had played a concert in the city on Friday night, authorities confirmed.
It is illegal to travel in the EU with more than €10,000 (£7,000) without declaring it. Half the rapper’s cash was seized and impounded under anti-money-laundering codes, said Italian news agency Ansa.
Financial police were said to have confirmed the Ansa report. The money is likely to be returned, with any fines set by magistrates deducted.
This followed an incident last weekend, when the rapper was stopped by police in Uppsala, Sweden, on suspicion of drug use, after he had performed a concert in Stockholm.
Daniel Nilsson, a police spokesman, told AFP: “Police ... noticed that Snoop Dogg, whose car was pulled over, seemed to be under the influence of narcotics.”
Mr Nilsson added that the rap star was arrested and taken to the police station for a urine test after which “he left”. It is thought police are still awaiting the results of the test.
Snoop Dogg, who said he was “snatched” out of his car, described his encounter with the police as “racial profiling”. In a video on the social networking site Instagram, he said he would not return to Sweden.
The rapper is due to perform at the Kendal Calling festival in the Lake District on Sunday night.
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