Kaz Crossley, a LOVE Island star, is expected to be released from her prison cell in Dubai after “completely complying” with authorities.
The 28-year-old fashion and beauty blogger was detained on Monday at the airport in Abu Dhabi on suspicion of drug offences.
While waiting for a trip to Thailand, Kaz was detained.
It is believed that her identity was brought to attention because investigators in the United Arab Emirates are still looking into a two-year-old video showed her snorting an unknown white substance at a party.
The video, which was captured during a lockdown as influencers travelled to Dubai to avoid restrictions in the UK, was made public on Sunday by The Sun.
Kaz, who finished third on Love Island in 2018 and will appear on the upcoming Channel 5 programme The Challenge, was detained on Monday. Kaz was visibly shaken.
Four days after being imprisoned, her representative today stated she would be released.
They told The Sun: “Kaz has fully cooperated with officials and is free to continue her journey.”
The representative explained: “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.”
A source previously told The Sun: “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.
“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.”
Kaz is seen kneeling over a side table where chunky lines of powder appear to be set out in the video, which is alleged to have been shot in Dubai in November 2020 while the UK was on lockdown. Kaz is wearing an orange dress.
Kaz was racing with quite a rough partying crowd, an astonished bystander remarked.
“She certainly isn’t as squeaky clean as she makes out online.”
Dubai’s drug laws have recently altered, and first-time offenders now risk a minimum three-month prison sentence and a fine between £4,559 (AED 20,000) and £22,799 for each offence (AED 100,000).
According to experts, after serving time in prison, foreigners detected taking narcotics are typically deported back to their native countries.
An FCDO Spokesperson said: “We are providing consular assistance to a British national who was arrested in the United Arab Emirates and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Kaz worked as a volunteer for a sizable portion of the previous year in Thailand.
On Sunday, she posted to Instagram from Dublin.
