In a surprising turn of events, American rapper Nicki Minaj was detained at Schiphol airport in the Netherlands on Saturday, just hours before her scheduled performance at Co-op Live in Manchester. The 41-year-old artist was arrested on suspicion of "possessing soft drugs" while traveling from Amsterdam to Manchester for her Pink Friday 2 Tour show.

The encounter between Minaj and the airport security staff was recorded on Instagram Live, where she vehemently denied carrying any drugs. However, she was informed that she would need to go to the police station. In the recorded footage, a man can be heard promising to arrange a lawyer as swiftly as possible.

Minaj expressed her frustration, claiming an airport security worker instructed her to enter a police van and go to the precinct without legal representation. Spokesperson Robert van Kapel from the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee confirmed the arrest, stating that a 41-year-old American woman had been detained for possessing soft drugs. Dutch military police added that taking such substances out of the country is prohibited.

While the police did not disclose the suspect's name, they stated that she remains in custody pending an ongoing investigation. The National Police Corps confirmed that a woman was arrested for allegedly attempting to transport soft drugs from Schiphol airport to another country. The investigation is ongoing.

Minaj also took to social media platform X, where she has a massive following of over 28 million, to share her side of the story. In her posts, she mentioned being told that weed was found and expressed discontent over her luggage being taken without consent. She also claimed that they were trying to prevent her from reaching Manchester.

The impact on Minaj's scheduled performance at Co-op Live remains uncertain. A message posted on the venue's X account informed fans that general admission and premium doors for the show would now open at 19:00. Co-op Live, the UK's largest indoor entertainment venue located in Manchester, recently opened after a series of delays and challenges.

It is worth mentioning that Minaj had just performed at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome on Thursday and is expected to return there for another show on 2 June. As the investigation continues, Minaj's legal situation and any potential consequences for her tour schedule will become clearer in the coming days.