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High wire: Cirque du Soleil founder held for ‘growing cannabis’
PAPEETE, Nov 13, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The billionaire founder of global
acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, has been detained on
charges of growing cannabis on his private island in the South Pacific,
authorities said.
The Canadian entrepreneur was arrested after getting off his plane in
French Polynesia and was due to appear before a judge later on Wednesday,
prosecutors and reports said.
In a statement, his company, Lune Rouge, said Laliberte uses cannabis for
“medical” and “strictly personal” purposes and denied that he was growing the
drug on his private island of Nukutepipi for commercial gain.
“Guy Laliberte completely dissociates himself from any rumour implicating
him… in the sale or traffic of drugs,” it said.
According to local television station Polynesie Premiere, police had
questioned one of Laliberte’s associates some weeks ago on suspicion of
possessing drugs and found images of marijuana plantations on their mobile
phone.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1137 hrs