Popcaan’s Lawyer Vows Libel Suit Against Police Over ‘Cocaine’ Allegations

Bert Samuels, attorney-at-law for Dancehall star Popcaan, has vowed to file a libel lawsuit against the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) over a press release issued today that the Unruly Boss was allegedly arrested for the possession of cocaine in Barbados in 2011.

“At no time was he (Andrae Sutherland, popularly known as Popcaan) ever charged or convicted of cocaine possession in Barbados,” Samuels told DancehallMag.

According to Samuels, the allegations were an “entire falsehood” designed by the Jamaica Constabulary Force to “push back against allegations that the Jamaican government had put a red flag against Popcaan’s name”.

“I am going to file a libel lawsuit against the JCF by midday on July 7th over these allegations of cocaine possession,” Samuels warned.

Earlier today, the Jamaica Constabulary Force revealed that the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) had issued a green notice alerting authorities to drug-related convictions, and that this may have led to the immigration issues faced by Popcaan in the United Kingdom.

The JCF said that Popcaan was convicted in 2009 in Barbados for possession of marijuana and subsequently deported to Jamaica. The JCF also mentioned a 2011 arrest for possession of cocaine. Samuels denied these allegations.

“Arising from those arrests and other intelligence gathered, a Green Notice was generated by Interpol in relation to him in 2015. The Notice was then reconfirmed by Interpol in 2018. A Green Notice provides Interpol members with a warning about a traveler’s potential criminal activities, where the person may be considered a threat to public safety,” the JCF said.

Such a notice does not request any specific law enforcement action be taken against the subject. It merely acts as an advisory to local law enforcement that the subject of the notice has been in contact with the law elsewhere.

“No Stop Order was placed on Mr. Sutherland by the Government of Jamaica,” the release asserted.

Travelers may be subjected to Secondary Security Screening at International Airports for a variety of reasons and these reasons fall completely within the purview of the local authorities in those respective jurisdictions, the JCF advised.

Popcaan last visited Barbados in July 2020, when he linked up with Drake, ahead of the release of his FIXTAPE album.

On Tuesday afternoon, Popcaan took to Instagram to announce that once again he had been detained by immigration officers at an airport in the UK.    He tagged Prime Minister Andrew Holness while calling for a resolution.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith confirmed on Wednesday that Popcaan had been released from what he described as detainment in the UK.  Johnson Smith tweeted that the government had not requested the detention of the artist, and that the Jamaica High Commission in London was asked to look into Tuesday’s incident.

Robert Nesta Morgan, Minister without portfolio with responsibility for Information in the Office of the Prime Minister, also tweeted on Wednesday that Prime Minister Andrew Holness had been briefed about the incident. “He (Holness) has spoken to the minister of national security and the commissioner of police to review his situation with a view to helping facilitate his ease of travel as an entertainer,” Morgan tweeted.