Rapper Nines freed from jail 6 months after being banged up for trying to import £280k of cannabis into Britain
RAPPER Nines has been freed from jail six months after being banged up for trying to import £280,000 of weed into Britain.
The hip hop artist, 32, shared a video of him in a car as a free man on his Instagram story.
Nines, real name Courtney Freckleton, was jailed for two years in October after admitting a plot to sneak the class B drug in from Poland and Spain.
Fans celebrated his release online, with one writing: “NINES IS FRESH HOME !! The prison seen the weather and said “f*ck it , let nines out”.
Another commented: “Real music is back in time for summer”.
A third person added: “Nines is out so I’m happy. That’s it”.
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The rapper’s drug plot involved one successful importation and a second attempt.
He also admitted to a money laundering charge, which related to a £98,000 debt as well as the value of the drugs.
Freckleton was a “senior partner” in the enterprise, with associates referring to him as “Big Boss” in messages.
Nines was arrested after police raids across London and Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, in an operation understood to have stemmed from the infiltration of encrypted messaging service Encrochat.
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The network, which was used by thousands of criminals internationally, was brought down by law enforcement last year after being hacked by French investigators.
In mitigation, the defence said Freckleton was “deeply ashamed” at having let people down and claimed he has a “great heart” as evidence by his extensive community work in Brent and across London with young people.
The judge acknowledged that his character references “were some of the best I’ve ever read”.
Nines was sentenced alongside co-conspirator and business partner, Jason Thompson, 35, of Barnet, north London.
Thompson pleaded guilty to the same charges as Nines, a dad-of-two, and was jailed for 28 months for his part in the plot.
The rapper, originally from Harlesden, North-West London, was named best hip hop act at the 2020 Mobo Awards.
His chart-topping third album, which beat metal titans Metallica to the top spot on its release, secured album of the year, seeing off competition from Stormzy, J Hus, Lianne La Havas and Mahalia.
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Prior to his success, Freckleton had a difficult childhood, suffering the horrific trauma of his brother being murdered.
Nines was previously been jailed for 18 months for possession of cannabis with intent to supply.