American basketball star and WNBA All-star center, Brittney Griner, 31, has been detained by the Russian Federal Customs Service this week.
The basketball player was detained after the Russian agency claimed to have found hashish oil in her luggage, according to the New York Times and Russian news agency TASS.
Griner currently plays for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a women’s basketball team that competes in the Russian Premier League.
On March 5, Russian state TV released an undated photo of Griner taken at a police station.
A Russian official was interviewed during the segment, and said: “An expert determined that the liquid is a narcotic drug, cannabis oil. A criminal case has been opened against an American citizen for smuggling a significant amount of drugs.” The statement was translated into English.
When Griner’s luggage had been checked at a security checkpoint at Sheremetyevo International Airport, customs allegedly found vape cartridges that contained the hashish oil.
It is not known at this time whether she was exiting the country or not.
A criminal case has been opened into Griner, who is currently in custody and could be charged with “large-scale transportation of drugs, an offense that can carry a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars in Russia,” according to the Times. The investigation is ongoing.
“We are aware of and are closely monitoring the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia. We remain in constant contact with her family, her representation, the WNBA and NBA. We love and support Brittney and at this time our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home.”
