Grooverider out of Gatecrasher?

DJ Grooverider has been jailed in Dubai after admitting cannabis possession, making his confirmed appearance at Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem unlikely.

A Dubai court has sentenced DJ Raymond Bingham, better known as Grooverider, to four years in jail, three months after he was caught in possession of marijuana. He was arrested on 23 November 2007 after being caught with 2.16 grams of cannabis at the airport.

Grooverider claims the drugs were in the pocket of a pair of trousers and he had forgotten about them. Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates federation which has a zero tolerance drug policy.

Under UAE law, drug trafficking carries a sentence ranging from four years jail to death, though executions are rare. The UAE authorities are now using highly sensitive equipment capable of detecting minute traces of drugs on visitors. Which could for instance even detect a tiny amount of cannabis on the sole of a person's shoe and lead to their conviction.

Grooverider will serve the minimum sentence for possession in the United Arab Emirates and his agents are hoping to get him released before the Gatecrasher Weekend Summer Sound System which takes place at Turweston Aerodrome, Nr Brackley, Northamptonshire on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May.

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