Grooveridge Goes to Jail
Legendary drum and bass DJ, "Grooverider" will be jailed in Dubai following an arrest for drug possession. The DJ, dubbed the "godfather" of the drum and bass scene was caught with marijuana in his possession and given the minimum sentence of four years imprisonment.
Legendary drum and bass Dj, "Grooverider" will be jailed in Dubai following an arrest for drug possession. The Dj, dubbed the "godfather" of the drum and bass scene was caught with marijuana in his possession and given the minimum sentence of four years imprisonment.
Flying in for a nightclub gig in November he was caught at the airport with 2.16g of cannabis in his luggage. He stated in an interview afterwards, "I must have forgotten the spliff, it was a small amount. Back home I would not even get prosecuted."
Four years is the minimum sentence for drug trafficking in the United Arab Emirates and on Monday February 18th 2008, this sentence was handed down to Grooverider (known to his passport as Raymond Bingham). It was also reported in the Dubai press that following a urine test, Bingham had traces of drugs in his system. In 2006 R&B vocalist, Dallas Austin was also arrested in the United Emirates after being found guilty of bringing cocaine into the country. After lobbying Utah senator Orrin Hatch, Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie, (who is hugely popular in Dubai), the singer was released and deported.
Grooverider was not as lucky as his American counterpart, as there was a lack of backing from his employers in the UK. The British Embassy had been in touch with the Dj but no other information on their involvement has been released.
The severity of his sentence has sparked much debate on internet forums, with fans believing the sentence too harsh for such a small quantity of drugs in possession, but there are precedent cases of much more severe punishments for smaller crimes, as the Dubai authorities take a hardline attitude to drugs. Should Grooverider have known the laws and respected them ? Whats legal in one country , is completely untolerated in another. It also raises the debate , would a severely hardline attitude to drug possession work in Europe ?
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