TikTok Star Modou Adams Was Jailed in Peru for Attempting to Smuggle Cocaine

The Gist:

• TikTok influencer Modou was arrested in Peru in September 2023 after authorities found several kgs of cocaine in his bag.
• Modou was sentenced to more than six years in Peruvian prison, and his TikTok account was deleted.
• Modou has not made any public statements about his arrest.

After rumors began swirling online that Modou Adams, a TikTok star who has been known to show off his lavish wealth in videos, had been arrested in Peru, many wondering what had happened to him and whether he was actually in jail.

As it turns out, Modou, whose full name is Modou Dodou Adams, was arrested on some fairly serious charges in Peru and is serving out his prison sentence.

Here's what to know.

According to a statement released by Peru's Supreme Court, Modou was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for trying to smuggle 2.89 kilograms of cocaine to London.

In short, then, Modou — who pled guilty to drug trafficking — is now in jail, and may be there for the next six years.

Moudou had previously used his TikTok account to showcase his travel, but his account appears to have been deleted.

Modou was first arrested at the end of September 2023 at Jorge Chávez International Airport, which is just north of Lima. Police had searched his luggage and found a package in the back of his suitcase inside a metal pouch. Video of the moment was captured on tape, and Modou appears to be baffled as officers inspect the package, find white powder, and then reveal the false back behind the entire suitcase.

Modou was arrested for attempting to smuggle the cocaine with the intent to distribute it. He was flying to Paris, but his final destination was London. Modou was dealt with quickly by the Peruvian legal system, who apparently resolved his case in under 24 hours. In addition to his jail time, Modou will have to pay a fine of £1,281.00.

The judge in Modou's case sentenced the former influencer for “illicit trafficking in toxic drugs, to the detriment of the Peruvian state." Modou's latest post on Instagram shows him posing at Machu Pichu on Sept. 26, 2023, four days before he was arrested.

Modou is not the first high-profile TikTok influencer to be arrested, although he may be among the most high-profile to be nabbed for drug trafficking.

Given the fact that he was apprehended and has been in custody since the end of September 2023, it makes sense that Modou has made no public statement about his arrest. Although he had a massive following when he was arrested, it's unclear whether anyone will still be interested in his accounts once he exits prison in six years' time. Who knows what social media will even be like at that point?