Snoop Dogg faces drug charge

Rapper Snoop Dogg is facing a minor drug charge in Texas after border agents said they found several joints on his tour bus.

Hudspeth County sheriff’s office said in a statement that Snoop Dogg, whose name is Calvin Broadus, was arrested on Saturday at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint and cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanour typical in cases involving small amounts of marijuana.

According to the sheriff’s office, a border agent smelled marijuana smoke coming from the bus and ordered everyone off so that a dog could inspect the vehicle.

A prescription bottle with several marijuana cigarettes was found in a rubbish bin, and more marijuana was found in two other containers. In all, 0.13lb of the drug were found.

Broadus admitted the drug was his and was released, the sheriff’s office said.

In interviews, the rapper has said he has a licence to use medical marijuana in his home state of California because he suffers from migraines and blurred vision.

County Judge Becky Dean Walker said paraphernalia citations are typically handled by justices of the peace in the county and that they are resolved by a no contest plea and a mailed-in fine of up to 500 US dollars.

Country singer Willie Nelson was arrested in November 2010 for marijuana possession at that same checkpoint.