An American musician and song producer who has been living in Russia for over a decade had been detained on accusations of drug trafficking, as reported by Russian news outlets on Saturday, June 10.
American Citizen Arrested on Drug Trafficking Charges in Moscow
The New York Post that Michael Travis Leake is distributing mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug with effects somewhere between those of cocaine and MDMA.
A court in Moscow issued an order keeping him in pre-trial custody for two months, as per reports. A conviction on narcotics trafficking or manufacturing charges could land him in jail for up to 20 years.
On his Instagram profile, he goes by the name Travis Leake. The bio says he is the lead vocalist for the band Lovi Noch (Seize the Night). In addition to his own musical endeavors, he reportedly worked as a song producer for various Russian music groups in Moscow.
According to the media, Leake is also a former US military paratrooper who has been based in Moscow since 2010.
In an email response to the AP News, the US Department of State confirmed that it was aware of rumors that an American citizen had been detained in Moscow.
The statement claimed the department "pursues consular access as soon as possible and works to provide all appropriate consular assistance" when an American citizen is detained abroad.
The agency has said that it has no more statements to make owing to privacy concerns.
Russia Enforces Strict Drug Laws
Russian legislation is quite stringent in regard to illegal drugs.
In February 2022, WNBA player Brittney Griner was detained at the Moscow airport when vape canisters carrying cannabis oil were discovered in her baggage.
She was given a nine-year sentence but was freed in December 2022 after being swapped for the Russian weapons dealer Viktor Bout, who was imprisoned in the US.
2014 Interview With Host Anthony Bourdain
CNN reported that, in 2014, the Parts Unknown crew traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg to shoot an episode with Leake. Anthony Bourdain, the show's host, had chosen Leake to be a guest star in particular.
Leake vented his anger at censorship and related an event involving his band and MTV on this episode.
"This was a documentary series about musicians standing up and risking their lives, in some cases, to stand up against government abuse of power, and government corruption. And yet, a foreign government was able to editorially control what Americans viewers see on their TV screens. That, to me, is a scandal of epic proportion," Leake stated.
The episode's producer, Darya Tarasova, stated that although the band may not have been particularly well-known, Leake and his pals had been very vocal in their opposition to repressive government policies in Russia. "Bourdain really liked that interview," she added.
