WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner arrested in Russia on drug charges

The Bobster

Senior News Editor since 2004

WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner arrested in Russia on drug charges​



By
Eileen AJ Connelly


March 5, 2022 8:28am
Updated









WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner arrested in Russia on drug charges








WNBA All-Star and Olympic champion Brittney Griner faces 5 to 10 years in Russian prison after she was arrested on drug smuggling charges when she was found with vape cartridges in her carry-on luggage at a Moscow airport, according to Russian news sources.
Russia’s Interfax news agency said a female US basketball player was arrested in February, at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow after arriving on a flight from New York.
A drug sniffing dog indicated narcotics in luggage, and when the bag was X-rayed, “so-called ‘vapes'” were discovered “with a specific order,” according to Interfax, which cited the Russian Federal Customs Service.
“The expert found that the liquid is a narcotic drug cannabis oil (hashish oil),” Interax said.
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The independent Russian news website identified the player as Griner.

Griner was arrested after vape cartridges were found in her carry-on luggage at a Moscow airport.Griner was arrested after vape cartridges were found in her carry-on luggage at a Moscow airport.
Interfax said she was detained as a “preventive measure.” There was no indication she was released.


A spokesman for her WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, could not immediately be reached for comment. USA Basketball did not immediately respond to a request for information. Griner hasn’t posted on her Instagram account since Feb. 5.


Griner, 31, a member of the 2014 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury and the 2016 Olympics gold medal team, has played during the WNBA off-season for the Russian team Ekaterinburg in the Euroleague since 2015.

Griner has been absent from social media since Feb. 5.Griner has been absent from social media since Feb. 5.Paul Beaty
 
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