Phoenix Sun center Britney Greener, a two-time Olympian and WNBA All-Star, was arrested at a Moscow airport after she was allegedly caught with a cannabis-filled vape pen.
The arrest took place sometime last month, the exact date is not specified. Griner is believed to remain in Russian custody on charges of drug smuggling.
After arriving from New York, the 31-year-old basketball player was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport after dogs were brought to her luggage to search for drugs. Interfax Russian news agency.
After the dog identified the bag, a customs agent used “fluoroscopic equipment” to scan the contents and found e-cigarette cartridges.
Brittney Griner (right) and Aja Wilson check the quality of their 2020 Olympic gold medal, which she helped win for the US women’s basketball team.
“Customs inspection of the hand luggage of a US citizen confirmed the presence of “vaps” with a liquid with a specific smell, and an expert found that the liquid is a narcotic cannabis oil (hash oil),” Russian customs said. provision of services.
The Phoenix Suns confirmed that Griner was arrested and jailed. Possession of cannabis in Russia is prohibited by law. Possession of up to six grams can result in a fine or imprisonment for up to 15 days, while detention with larger amounts can result in a more severe sentence.
It is not clear how much drugs Griner had.
“We are aware of and closely monitoring the situation with Britney Griner in Russia,” the women’s basketball team said in a statement.
“We remain in constant contact with her family, her representative, the WNBA and the NBA. We love and support Britney and our primary concern at this time is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home.”
The six-foot-nine center Griner, pictured with the ball, is a two-time gold medalist.
According to Interfax, she was charged with “smuggling drugs on a large scale”, which carries a penalty of 5 to 10 years in prison.
Greener, who is known for her sharp elbows on and off the basketball court, played for Baylor University in Waco, Texas before being drafted into the WNBA by the Mercury in 2013.
Britney Griner, 31, was detained last month at Sheremetyevo International Airport after drug-sniffing dogs were dragged to her luggage.
In 2014, when the team won the WNBA championship, they were averaging over 15 points per game.
The six-foot-nine center was part of the US women’s basketball team that won the gold medal in 2016 in Brazil and won gold again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Griner also plays in the Russian team UMMC-Ekaterinburg in the Women’s Euroleague, where she helped the team win four titles.
In 2015, Griner and her then-wife Glory Johnson were suspended for seven games after they were arrested and charged with domestic violence.
According to The New York Times, Griner pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and agreed to a six-month counseling session to prevent domestic violence, after which the charges were dropped.
Griner’s arrest in Russia could not have come at a worse time, as the country found itself financially and politically isolated from the rest of the world after the invasion of Ukraine.
Air travel between Russia and the US has been halted as part of the economic sanctions that President Joe Biden has imposed on the Slavic people for attacking their smaller neighbor to the south.
Griner is known for her sharp elbows on and off the court. In 2015, Griner and her then-wife Glory Johnson were suspended for seven games after they were arrested and charged with domestic violence.
Many American professional basketball players who played in Russia during the WNBA offseason had trouble finding flights to the United States after Vladimir PutinX invasion of Ukraine.
Several player agents told ESPN that many WNBA players in Russian women’s basketball Premier League tried to get away from security considerations.