The invitation to the Uppsala Reggae Festival in Sweden turned out to be a trap for several artists: a police raid led to the arrest of 220 people this weekend. Among them, several singers and musicians were caught in the net of the impressive operation deployed by the Uppsala police, who wanted to make a big splash.
The Local, a Swedish daily, reports that small quantities of drugs were seized at the festival site. "Among the suspects are a number of artists and musicians who were playing at the festival," said Christer Nordstrom, spokesman for the Uppsala police. "I cannot specify which."
"We think the festival was very well organised, and there was fruitful cooperation between the organisers and the police. The festival took a stand against drugs," said his colleague Kristian Fagerberg.
According to our information, Sean Paul and his backing singers, Lee Scratch Perry and his wife, as well as one of Groundation's horn players, who was unable to make it to Sundance in Holland the next day, were among those apprehended. Drug-sniffer dogs were even reportedly sent into Sean Paul's hotel room.