Gigi Hadid, Friend Plead Guilty to Cannabis Charges in the Cayman Islands

CAYMAN ISLANDS – Model Gigi Hadid, 28, and her friend Leah McCarthy pleaded guilty to charges of importing cannabis and drug utensils in the Cayman Islands last week, according to USA Today.

Hadid and McCarthy’s arrest took place on July 10 when they arrived in the Cayman Islands on a private airplane. Subsequently, a luggage search resulted in the discovery of a small amount of cannabis. Two days later, they were sentenced for two offenses: importation of a controlled drug and importation of a drug utensil

The two were fined $1,000 Cayman Islands Dollars and appeared in court on July 12. Notably, no conviction was recorded, as stated by the Cayman Islands’ Customs & Border Control in a press release.

Hadid’s representative asserted that the model was in possession of marijuana legally purchased in NYC with a medical license.

“It has also been legal for medical use in Grand Cayman since 2017,” the representative added. “Her record remains clear, and she enjoyed the rest of her time on the island.”

While recreational cannabis use remains prohibited in the Cayman Islands, the use of cannabis extracts and traces of cannabis for therapeutic and medical purposes is allowed when prescribed by a licensed doctor within the country.