More details have filtered through regarding rapper Lil Wayne's previously reported arrest in Arizona last week. The hip hop star, real name Dwayne Michael Carter Jr was apprehended when his tour bus, on its way to a date in Richmond, Virginia, was stopped at the US Border Patrol checkpoint near Dateland. According to Ramona Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration, it was Border Control dogs that alerted personnel to the presence of the drugs, and that a subsequent search yielded marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and other paraphernalia. Officials also found a pistol registered to Carter, who has a concealed weapons permit in Florida.
Lil Wayne was charged in court last week on counts of possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia and is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing on 12 Feb. The rapper's lawyer, James Tilson, said of his client: "He is very concerned about the charges. He absolutely will be present at his next court date".