Romania has sentenced rapper Wiz Khalifa to nine months in jail for drug possession, sparking concerns over potential extradition to the US. Criminologist Vlad Zaha says it would be “politically and socially absurd” to extradite a Black American like Khalifa for cannabis possession.
Wiz Khalifa was stopped by Romanian police in July 2024 after smoking cannabis on stage at the “Beach, Please! Festival.” He was found with over 18 grams of cannabis and received a nine-month sentence. The rapper is a US citizen and does not reside in Romania.
Romania has strict drug laws, with possession of cannabis for personal use punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine. However, criminologist Vlad Zaha believes the country lacks the economic leverage to demand extradition from the US.
While a formal judicial request may be submitted to the US, Zaha doubts that Khalifa will serve his sentence in Romania due to his wealth and connections. Appeals are available, but it’s unclear whether they can change the outcome.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-extraditing-wiz-khalifa-to-romania-would-be-absurd-expert-11240601