The American rapper Wiz Khalifa has been sentenced to nine months in prison by a Romanian court following a drug possession charge that stems from an appearance at a high-profile festival last summer. This final ruling, given by the Constanța Court of Appeal on Thursday December 18, 2025, brought a significant escalation to this highly publicized case, which had underlined Romania's zero tolerance for narcotics.
The legal saga kicked off in July 2024 at the Beach, Please! festival in Costinești, a fashionable resort on the Black Sea coast. While headlining, the 38-year-old artist—born Cameron Jibril Thomaz—was seen smoking a fat, hand-rolled cannabis cigarette on stage while performing his hit Young, Wild & Free.
Romanian police subsequently detained the Pittsburgh rapper, saying he possessed about 18.5 grams of cannabis. He was detained for a short period and then released, but the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) pressed charges for the "possession of dangerous drugs, without right, for personal consumption."
The final judgment
A lower court in Constanța had originally fined Khalifa 3,600 lei — approximately £620 — in April 2025, but prosecutors appealed for a more severe sentence and the artist received the nine-month custodial sentence. Even possession for personal use is considered a criminal offence under Romanian law, punishable by up to two years in prison.
Khalifa also spoke on the incident on X, saying, "Didn't mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage. They were very respectful and let me go. I'll be back soon. But without a big ass joint next time." Uncertainty over Extradition It's as yet unclear, though, whether Romanian officials will make an extradition request on the heels of that ruling. One, Khalifa is a US citizen with no residency in Romania; two, such a move would be very complicated, involving complex international legal coordination. For now, the Black and Yellow star remains stateside, but the ruling sends a pretty stark reminder to touring artists regarding the legal risk of local drug policies abroad.
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