Kaz Crossley: has Love Island star been arrested in Dubai, video clip explained - will she go to prison?

Love Island’s Kaz Crossley has been jailed in Dubai on suspicion of drug offences, say reports.

Crossley, who appeared on the 2018 series of Love Island finishing in third place, is believed to have been detained at Abu Dhabi airport in transit for a flight to Thailand. The news comes after a video of her snorting a suspicious white substance at a party in Dubai went viral in 2020.

The influencer had been staying there during lockdown to escape Covid-19 restrictions in the UK. It’s believed that after the video gained traction it was flagged to authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to investigate. So, has Kaz Crossley been arrested in Dubai? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who is Kaz Crossley?

Crossley is a fitness and beauty influencer from London who is best known for finishing third in the 2018 series of Love Island. She coupled up with Josh Denzel in Casa Amor, leading to a dramatic recoupling ceremony in the main villa. The pair continued to date until January 2019 before deciding to part ways.

Crossley who calls herself the “Thai Princess” on Instagram has built up a hefty social media following with over 1.1 million followers on the platform. The 28-year-old’s posts and videos showcase her luxury lifestyle, but recently she has been sharing posts about her volunteer work in Thailand.

The reality TV star has also appeared on Celebrity Ex On The Beach and is due to feature in Channel 5’s upcoming show The Challenge this year.

Has she been arrested in Dubai?

Reported by The Sun, Crossley was arrested at Abu Dhabi airport on Monday (13 February), with the 28-year-old allegedly unable to phone her family. A source told the publication: “She was looking forward to getting back to Thailand where she has been doing voluntary work and all of a sudden she is languishing in a Dubai jail. Everyone knows how strict they are about drugs over there. She must be terrified.”

The source added: “She had only stopped off in Abu Dhabi to catch a connecting flight but her name has obviously raised a red flag. She was allowed to send just one email and wasn’t even allowed to make a phone call. She messaged one particular friend whose email she could remember and asked her to inform her family that she was OK but had been arrested for drugs offences. The arrest wasn’t because of anything she had on her. As far as we know it is all down to that video.”

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office told the publication: “We are in contact with the local authorities following the arrest of a British national in the United Arab Emirates.”

What has been reported?

It’s been reported that Crossley was detained on “suspicion of drug offences” due to a viral video filmed in Dubai in 2020 that showed the influencer snorting a suspicious white substance at a party. Drug laws in the UAE are very strict, with the British Foreign Office website stating that the country has “zero tolerance for drugs-related offences”, with authorities counting the presence of drugs in the bloodstream as possession. First-time offenders face a minimum of three months in prison and a fine between £4,559 (AED 20,000) and £22,799 (AED 100,000).

A representative for Crossley told the Sun: “Kaz was travelling through Abu Dhabi on her way to Thailand, where she was stopped by UAE police and taken in for questioning in relation to a matter that is not directly related to her but officials felt she could assist in their enquiries. Kaz has fully cooperated with officials and is free to continue her journey.”

NationalWorld has contacted Kaz Crossley’s representatives for comment.